Sailor Moon R Part 1 Alternate Re-Write
by Sailor Mars Fanatic
Summary: This is a variation on the events of the Doomtree arc that forms the first part of Sailor Moon R. It is intended as a sequel to my previous story that was an alternate take on the first season of Sailor Moon. Be warned though. Don't expect the lovable sprites of the original. This is a much darker and sinister take on Alan and Anne. N.J. if you want answers then let us communicate.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

It was a very peaceful night at around midnight. Or at least it started out that way. A young teenage girl fourteen years of age, almost fifteen, lay snug in her bed fast asleep. Her name was Serena and her pet cat, Luna was also sleeping, curled up on top of the covers at the foot of the bed. But they were suddenly woken up by a very bright light accompanied by a horrible crashing sound. Serena screamed and sat up in bed, "Yeeeeoooow! What's happening?"

Her parents and little brother Sammy were also shocked out of their slumber, as also were practically everybody in the entire vicinity. As her mother came running as fast as she could to make sure she was all right, Dad was doing the same thing for her brother Sammy. Without stopping to knock or call out Mum burst through the bedroom door and ran to embrace Serena.  
>"Oh Serena! Are you all right?" She hugged her daughter feeling very much scared herself while Serena sobbed.<br>"Mum! Mum! I don't know what's going on!" While Mum sat there holding her terrified girl tightly to herself lights lit up in all the houses and voices yelled out in consternation and dismay. The cat Luna jumped up on the windowsill and stared out into the night. A glowing light shone in the far distance very small but clear as it seemed to blink before disappearing. What could it mean?

In the middle of a huge deserted car park area there was an enormous gaping crater. In it sat something that resembled a twisted, green-leaved tree with several intertwined branches on the top and a similar root system on the bottom. Even as people were pouring forth out of their homes to go over and look at it, the tree shimmered and vanished without a trace. While many other people were glancing down from the windows and balconies of their apartments in the tallest high-rise tenement towers, in one such apartment an elderly couple were about to meet a tragic demise. While their backs were turned, the mysterious tree reappeared inside their main living room and four pairs of bright green hands approached them as their attention was diverted to the scene below. The creatures who had their green-skinned hands outstretched ran up from behind and with a terrible shove the old man was pushed tumbling over the balcony by two pairs of hands and his wife by the other two. They screamed as they fell head over heels and to the horror of the crowd gathered below, they landed with a crash. Their dead bodies lay twisted next to each other. Their faces frozen in the terrified expressions as they fell to their deaths. The police were called and they immediately investigated. However when they identified the apartment the couple had been living in, upon entry they found no evidence of foul play. No green-skinned creatures were to be found, let alone a weird tree. It was concluded that it must have been an accident, somehow the two old people had to have lost their balance as they leaned over the rail attempting to make out what had happened. As for what did happen the police and everybody else were baffled. It was a most perplexing mystery and nobody could offer any explanation.

However after the two bodies had been removed to deliver to the morgue and the police directed the crowd to disperse and go to their homes, inside that now empty apartment activity was quietly happening. The tree had now been stored away inside the bedroom and a group of twenty weird beings with green skin, pointed ears and various coloured hair were all gathered in the living room. About half of them were male and half female and a couple were addressing the rest obviously as the appointed leaders of the clan. The male had light blue hair and was carrying an unusually designed flute of some sort. His female companion had light pink hair and she snuggled up next to him as he spoke, "This is perfect everybody. This planet will serve our needs. Now that we've done away with the earthlings who lived in here this will become our hideout. Anne and I will disguise ourselves as a brother and sister and enroll in the local High School. We will also quickly make applications to move in to this apartment. With our creepy hypnosis nobody will ever wonder why we're not paying any rent money."  
>Then his girlfriend Anne spoke in turn, "Peter you will disguise yourself as our father and you Jenny our mother. Remember you both must appear slightly older than us to complete our cover as an innocent family of these people."<br>"That will be no problem for our powers Anne," Peter promised and Jenny agreed.  
>Anne's boyfriend went on to say, "As for the rest of you, you will all hide out in that other room with the tree unless we send you out on missions to collect energy from the earthlings. We need to keep the tree firmly under our control and to do that we will need plenty and plenty of energy. When we have enough we will be able to harness the tree's own power reserves and we will proclaim ourselves the new ruling authority over this planet and make a big name for ourselves."<br>"You can depend upon all of us Alan. We will serve you and Anne as our king and queen when our conquest is complete."  
>"And we shall serve under you as dukes and duchesses to help you put the earth people under your thumbs."<br>The rest of them gave this solemn promise and Alan and Anne smiled with malicious twinkles in their eyes.  
>"Thank you. Anne and I know we can rely on you of course."<p>

And so in the next few days these strange aliens had made all their necessary arrangements regarding the apartment and Alan and Anne joined the High School in their human disguises. On the morning of their first day Miss Haruna officially introduced them to everybody on the stage of the main announcement area. "Boys and girls, it is my pleasure to welcome these two new students who have just transferred to our school. Alan Granger in Grade 10 and his sister Anne in Grade 9. I hope you will all make them feel at home."  
>The students all promised Miss Haruna they would be very nice and friendly to them and Alan and Anne bowed their heads smiling. Serena and Molly were both deeply admiring Alan.<br>"Isn't he handsome Molly?"  
>Molly agreed, "Yeah Serena. His hair is so dreamy. But then so's the rest of him."<br>Melvin was a little jealous because he and Molly had been going steady ever since the incident during the Wacky World Wrestlers Show at Dreamland Amusement Park last year while he had briefly assumed the identity of Tuxedo Melvin. But at the same time he did kind of like them and hoped that they might share similar interests in snails and bugs. Molly's heart really did belong to Melvin though. Sure she did think Alan looked kind of cute but Melvin was her number one and she tried to reassure him when she heard him pout. "Dreamy is he? What about me Molly?"  
>"Oh Melvin. It's nothing really. Sure I think he's handsome, but he'd never ever replace you in my life seriously. That's the heartfelt truth."<br>Melvin softened upon hearing this and embraced Molly, but Serena, who was as single as could be, remained looking at Alan with a ga-ga face until Miss Haruna announced that everybody depart for their morning classes.

Later during lunch break Anne found herself surrounded by a gang of curious students including Molly, Melvin and Serena. The official story that Alan and Anne had been telling everybody was that they had immigrated from France with their parents, Pierre, now known as Peter, and Jenny. Melvin was fascinated.  
>"So you are French by nationality? Did you ever hook up with a computer club and join the Internet?"<br>Anne looked at him and said, "No."  
>He was a little disappointed, but all the same he had hopes that he'd be able to spark her interest sometime.<br>Molly said, "Could you say something in French please?"  
>Serena added, "Yeah. French is one of my favourite languages."<br>Alan, Anne, Peter and Jenny all spoke with perfectly mastered French accents when they talked to humans in their disguises. They had it down pat though they didn't really know the language itself. But Anne smiled slyly and narrowed her eyes and began to speak in her own alien language with a superb French accent, "Za-boo zoo ya fa bleeoh."  
>Everybody was stunned. Molly stammered, "Th-that's some unusual French."<br>Serena had been just about to ask Anne what it meant when they were all distracted by the sound of beautiful flute music. It was coming from Alan. He had appeared and begun to play on his extraordinarily designed flute and all the girls including Serena and Molly flocked over to listen to him.  
>If only they had known what Anne's words translated actually meant: "You stupid humans will all be our slaves one day."<br>The boys all stared with open mouths and wide eyes as the girls were all drawn to Alan as he gently blew on his instrument and Melvin was beginning to feel protectively jealous again. "Hey Molly. Don't get too carried away with his looks and talents." But she didn't even hear him as she basked in the melody with her friends.  
>Suddenly Alan stopped playing as his eyes rested upon Serena in particular. "My goodness," he thought to himself, "What a lovely creature she is in appearance. For an earth girl that is." Of course Anne was his only true love. But still he had never seen any other creature as beautiful anywhere in their many travels throughout the galaxy. He simply needed to speak to her and as he approached her, Serena gasped in amazed wonder and delight. Molly couldn't believe it when Alan bowed to Serena and said, "Pardon me. You are the most attractive girl I have ever laid eyes upon. What's your name?"<br>Serena was almost struck dumb as she stammered, "S-s-serena." She began to blush and compliment Alan on his charms as well as his musical talent when Anne suddenly ran over in a huff. "Alan," she spoke in a gruff voice making him blush with nervous embarrassment. "What do you think you are doing?"  
>"Oh. Er. Nothing Anne. Nothing at all." With that Alan quickly turned and walked away. While all eyes were turned on Anne she frowned harshly and turned as well walking in the opposite direction. Everybody, let alone Serena, were feeling completely baffled as to what had just happened.<p>

Later as Alan and Anne were walking back to their secret base after school she berated him for his actions. "What did you think you were doing talking so sweetly to that human girl Alan?"  
>Alan hung his head in shame as they were walking and quietly talking together. "I'm sorry Anne. I guess it was pretty stupid of me. I don't know what came over me."<br>"Well make sure it doesn't happen again Alan. I know we are supposed to be brother and sister in our cover but that doesn't give you the right to behave like that. Especially since these humans are all so vastly inferior to us. It's not only a personal insult to me, but you are also degrading yourself by our standards."  
>"You're right of course Anne. I am ashamed of myself." Alan hung his head even further and added, "Please let's not tell Peter or any of the others. I promise I'll put this behind me and do the right thing by you and all of us combined."<br>Anne smiled and replied, "In that case I forgive you Alan. And it will be our secret."  
>The two of them had been very cautious to argue in very low whispers to each other and keep a close watch out that nobody was eavesdropping upon them. When they reached the apartment tower they took the elevator to their hideout where they joined Peter, Jenny and the rest in the room where they had concealed the tree. Tonight it was time for them to begin seeking out human energy to pour into the tree.<p>

Alan addressed everybody as they gathered around the tree. "We must begin and not delay. Even now the tree is attempting to break free of the hold we have upon it. I can feel its psychic aura as it struggles. So we need to make our move. Are you all with us?"  
>They all raised their fists in the air and cried out affirmatively together so Alan reached into a drawer inside the dressing table by the bed on which the tree was placed. When he drew his hand out he held what looked like a bunch of over-sized playing cards with silver backs. Spreading them open he held them out to Anne. "You have the honour of choosing the Cardian that we will use for our first night Anne. With your choice you will preserve our future triumph."<br>Anne laughed and said, "Okay." With her pointer finger she reached out and gently touched a card at random. It floated up into the air and Alan played a tune on his flute. It appeared to grow to average human size and the picture of a monstrous creature, part flower, part humanoid, appeared on it. Then suddenly the creature on the card came to life. Everybody cheered as Alan removed the flute from his lips and cried, "Vampeal. I command you to go out with Fred tonight and obey him as you gather energy from the creatures that cross your path. As you absorb the energy it will be transferred to the tree here and our power will grow all the stronger."  
>Vampeal bowed and said, "I hear and I will obey."<br>The alien named Fred stepped forward and said, "I am ready to aid our cause. Come with me Vampeal." As he led the Cardian out into the night jumping over the balcony and floating down together, Alan, Anne and their comrades all chortled and rubbed their hands together with glee.

So while Luna and Artemis were out wandering the streets that night they heard a woman's voice screaming in fright from around a nearby corner. Alerted they promptly ran to investigate and were just in time to see the creature called Vampeal, clutching the terrified lady's neck and shoulders in her flower petal hands. Fred was standing nearby giving commands. "That's it Vampeal. Suck out her energy then find another victim."  
>"Vampeal!" The Cardian called out her own name as she let the woman slump to the ground before she ran off with Fred close behind. Horrified Artemis and Luna ran up to the woman who was barely alive and half unconscious. "Oh no! What will we do Artemis?"<br>Artemis was very worried. "If only we could awaken the Sailor Scouts' memories somehow Luna. This is dreadful."

Indeed this new threat was even more serious than the forces of Queen Beryl had ever been. Though most of the victims lived and were delivered to the hospital upon discovery, occasionally the drainage of a victim's life energy was so severe that he or she completely expired. Back at their hideout the aliens observed the transfer of the energy telepathically sent to them as they directed it into the tree. But if a victim had not survived they could tell because the tree would shake and jerk its branches. As if it was stung with intense sorrow or pain and the heartless invaders all laughed as they realized what they had done. They had no remorse whatsoever. After how they had murdered that old man and his wife in cold blood they did not have any shame at all. If a few humans had to die to ensure they kept the tree under their power so what?

But then things took a significant turn of events that brought into play forces the invaders could never have foreseen. Just as Fred was directing Vampeal to attack another innocent bystander the scream alerted Serena's young friend Molly. She opened her window to see what was going on. She had just been talking to Serena on the phone and she had it in her hand while she looked out. "Hold on Serena. Somebody's," she started to say then gasped as Fred pointed to her directing the Cardian's attention.  
>He shouted, "Up there Vampeal! Another one! Get her too!"<br>Molly screamed into the phone as Vampeal rose into the air and grabbed her making her drop the receiver.  
>"Molly! What's wrong?" Serena's voice came out of the discarded appliance while Molly felt her life force slowly being drained out of her by the Cardian's cold touch. Fred meanwhile had levitated himself to the window and laughed maniacally.<p>

Luna and Artemis had run back home to Serena and Mina respectively to try to see if there was any way to convince them of their true identities. But it seemed pretty much hopeless. They knew that none of the girls had any memory of the past events of their regular everyday lives, let alone about being Sailor Scouts since the fateful battle they had fought against the evil Queen Beryl. If they tried to talk to any of them it would only serve to freak them out and people would think they were beginning to lose their minds as well as their memories if they started gibbering about hearing cats speak.

At that very moment Luna was inside Serena's bedroom while she'd been talking to Molly on the phone. She looked up aghast as Serena became distressed speaking urgently. "Molly! Can you hear me? Please answer!"  
>But the next minute Serena gasped in fright, dropped her own receiver and fell back upon her bed in a terrified half-faint as the spirit of Nephlite materialized before her to warn her of Molly's danger. "Sailor Moon. Please come at once." He had started to say and Luna afraid of what could happen if Serena screamed out alerting her family jumped up in front of her and spoke out loud to get Nephlite's attention.<br>"Nephlite. Serena has lost her memory. She doesn't know who you are or anything about being Sailor Moon."  
>Upon hearing Luna say this one good thing at least immediately happened. Serena gasped, "Now my cat is TALKING! Of course. A talking cat must mean that this is all part of a weird dream I'm having. That creepy apparition cannot hurt me because it isn't real." This calmed her down somewhat anyway.<br>Nephlite frowned. "Is this really true?"  
>Luna bowed her head. "I'm afraid it is so."<br>Nephlite said, "But Molly is in danger. Her life force is slowly being drained away. She could die."  
>Luna began to sob, "If only we had the Crescent Moon Wand with the Silver Imperium Crystal. But it was also lost during the fight against Queen Beryl."<br>Nephlite was all ears upon hearing this. "Sailor Moon's crystal was lost?"  
>Before Luna could reply he went on with urgency, "Then there's only one thing to do. I can sense that Sailor Moon's own parents have appeared to her as ghosts themselves. I must call them forth through mutual spirit channeling and combine our psychic energy to restore her memories."<br>Luna's heart give a sudden leap of hope as Nephlite's spirit shut his eyes and concentrated hard summoning Queen Serenity and King Lune-Eclipsus from their dimension of eternal rest.  
>As her parents' ghosts began to materialize in the room, Serena gave a rather nervous giggle. "Wow. This dream is getting weirder all the time."<br>But they responded at once, "We know why we have been summoned forth and we will help you Nephlite."  
>It was Lune-Eclipsus who had spoken and he and Serenity both combined their psychic energies with Nephlite and before Serena could say anything else in the next fifteen seconds all her vital memories came flooding back to her. She remembered first meeting Luna, then Amy, Raye etc. All the battles they had fought together. Jedite and Titus. Nephlite. The contest Zoicite had fought with them for possession of the Rainbow Crystals. Her dear Tuxedo Mask who was also Darien in his everyday identity. Originally meeting the ghosts of her dead parents and learning the whole truth about who she was and who her friends were. Finally all the last battles including the big show down with Queen Beryl herself when everything had gone blank.<p>

She snapped to attention. "I remember everything now. My dear mother and father. Thank you so very much. You too Nephlite."  
>Nephlite spoke up, "No time for chit-chat Sailor Moon. Molly's in danger."<br>"We must go now Serena dear," said Serenity.  
>"But go and do your duty," said Lune-Eclipsus before he and Serenity vanished.<br>"Transform Serena," Luna urged.  
>"MOON PRISM POWER!" Sailor Moon transformed as she jumped off the bed.<p>

As for Molly she was now tied up with vines extending from Vampeal's hands. Fred was standing next to Vampeal. "It won't be long now," he laughed.  
>But just then Luna came flying through the window and hissing angrily landed upon Vampeal's arm biting and scratching making her release Molly. As she fell backwards onto her bed severely weakened, the Cardian threw Luna aside with a violent wave of her arm. Fred turned and gasped to see Sailor Moon standing in the window sill.<br>"Now look here. I'm Sailor Moon and I'm the Champion of Justice on this planet. I don't know who you are or where you've come from but I won't let you terrorize people and drain away their life forces. I challenge you to send that big weed of yours outside to fight me."  
>Fred was very angry. "You won't interfere with our plans. Vampeal! Destroy her!"<br>Sailor Moon quickly jumped backwards off the ledge and down to the street below as Vampeal shot out at her with Fred behind.  
>Nephlite appeared over Molly and looked down with tender concern into her face. She looked back up and struggled to speak, reaching her hands towards his face. "N-nephlite. I feel s-s-so weak. But I'm h-happy to see you again."<br>"Take it easy Molly. Sailor Moon will take care of the monster who attacked you. Then she'll see you get medical help."  
>Molly smiled in wonderment at his words. "Sailor Moon is b-b-back! R-r-r-really?"<br>Meanwhile Luna, who had hit the wall when she was thrown and momentarily stunned, had risen to her feet, regained her bearings and exited out the window to see how Sailor Moon was faring.

At the moment she had unfortunately underestimated the speed and agility of Vampeal. After desperately twisting, dodging and running to avoid the vines which lashed out at her relentlessly, she had finally been lassoed around the ankle and fell to the ground. She could feel the energy being sucked out of her almost immediately and she groaned piteously. Fred was rubbing his hands and laughing with a wicked glint in his eyes. But Luna knew what she needed to do and running up from behind she leaped up onto the Cardian's back and proceeded to bite and claw once again. Vampeal released Sailor Moon before too much energy had been removed from her and she jumped up off the sidewalk.  
>Luna jumped out of the way while Vampeal shook herself in rage and pain and cried out, "Attack now Sailor Moon!"<br>Sailor Moon did not waste time and while Fred was distracted she threw her tiara proclaiming with huge expression, "MOON TIARA MAGIC!"  
>The spinning frisbee flew straight at Vampeal with destructive force and even as Fred turned at the sound of her shout, he was caught in the crossfire standing in such close proximity to the Cardian. He was disintegrated before he could even make any sound at all and the Cardian vanished, revealing the small card with Vampeal's picture on one side. As it fell and stuck upright in the pavement the picture sizzled, smoked and turned entirely black.<p>

While Sailor Moon was looking at the strange card voices addressed her from above making her and Luna look up together. "So you've killed our comrade Fred. But we will eventually destroy you and avenge him."  
>"Huh?" Sailor Moon looked up to see Alan and Anne floating in the air above them. They were standing back to back and from the transparent glow it was clear they were only a holographic projection. Alan continued to speak, "We didn't expect to find somebody like you on our planet."<br>Sailor Moon was incensed. "What do you mean your planet? You have no right to come here to terrorize or even kill. You monsters."  
>Anne grinned and answered her, "We can do anything we want to. You won't be able to stop us."<br>Alan continued, "The humans will be our slaves and we will kill anybody who tries to oppose us."  
>"That especially includes you," Anne spoke with a venomous voice and pointed at Sailor Moon.<br>"We will leave you for now but when we strike next we will be ready to destroy you. Consider yourself warned," finished Alan. Then he and Anne disappeared.

When they were gone Sailor Moon alerted Molly's mother, Mrs. Baker, to her daughter's condition. She was surprised to see Sailor Moon again and also very, very thankful to realize that Molly may have died had it not been for the return of Sailor Moon. Nephlite said goodbye to Molly just before the door flew open and Mrs. Baker ran in to check on her daughter while Sailor Moon called for an ambulance on the phone. They came and took Molly away and the ambulance workers were also amazed to see Sailor Moon in person before their eyes. After this Sailor Moon was the talk of the town. Some people could hardly believe she had really come back but in the light of the terrible events of that night they were all deeply glad and hoped that she would destroy whatever strange new threat had come to earth before everybody was dead from losing all their precious energy. People also wondered whether the other four Sailor Scouts would also return to fight with Sailor Moon again.

But the battle was going to be tougher than even Sailor Moon could imagine with or without her old friends. Because while she and Luna had been checking on Molly the aliens had retrieved the card from where it lay in the pavement. Although not even Luna knew it the Cardians were really indestructible by nature. They could appear to be destroyed but there was a special process by which they could be restored. Alan, Anne and their allies placed the Cardian inside a darkened room dipped in a liquid container resembling the process of developing photographs. They had converted the built-in bedroom wardrobe for this purpose and after twenty-four hours Vampeal would be restored as good as new, ready to potentially be used again. Then they all sat around to discuss their next move in the light of the sudden appearance of this strange female warrior and the death of Fred. Things were only going to get hotter as they went along.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Artemis was back over at Serena's house inside her bedroom talking to Luna. Luna was sitting on top of the chest of drawers nearby the windowsill while he sat on a chair. They were both very worried about the recent events. "This new threat really creeps me out Artemis. The forces of Queen Beryl were bad enough but they never actually killed anybody although they certainly did come very close on rare occasions. But a small number of people did die during the attacks last night. I'm very concerned that Sailor Moon may not be able to handle these enemies alone."  
>"I agree Luna. But the other four Scouts are still without their memories. And we don't know how to make contact with the ghosts of Nephlite, Serenity and Lune-Eclipsus to request that they psychically renew their minds the way you told me how they renewed Sailor Moon's last night."<br>Before Luna could reply the bedroom door opened and in walked Serena groaning. Shutting the door she leaned upon it before sliding down to sit upon the floor. "I just ran into Darien today. I tried to snuggle up to his arm but he pulled away and wanted to know who I was, how I knew his name and why I was touching him like that. I desperately tried to remind him about us but he ran away saying "Leave me alone". I was devastated."  
>"Serena I did try to tell you," Luna jumped off the drawers onto her bed followed by Artemis jumping off the chair. "His memories have been completely erased. Just like the other Sailor Scouts. I hope you haven't been saying anything to them about the past whenever you've met them or they'll be calling you wacko."<br>Serena crawled over to her bed and placed her arms and chin down upon it next to Luna and Artemis. "No I haven't been attempting to make them remember anything Luna. Honest to goodness. Even though I do miss their old selves and company very much. I only wanted to have my beloved Darien fully back at least."  
>With that Serena began to cry into her bed-covers and Artemis and Luna looked at each other with very sad and sympathetic expressions.<p>

Meanwhile the alien invasion force were all gathered around the mysterious tree as it lay on the bed that could barely support its weight. Alan addressed them all. "The tree was tremendously weakened in its resistance to our control by the energy we injected into it last night. Even though poor Fred lost his life to that Sailor Moon girl he used Cardian Vampeal well for our cause. We must solemnly remember him for that."  
>The aliens all shut their eyes, bowed their heads and placed their right fists upon their breasts. "In remembrance of Fred." The statement was all unanimously spoken and Alan went on with his speech.<br>"But to ensure that Fred did not die in vain it is up to us to keep the tree constantly under our thumb. At every moment it is striving to free itself from our grasp and if we lose our hold over it our plans will be ruined. So Anne," he turned towards her and she moved up real close to him smirking as he spoke to her, "you know what you must do next my darling." He held up the same silver-backed cards from last night and spread them out. "Pick a Cardian. Any Cardian."  
>Anne took hold of one of the middle cards and drew it out from the deck. Holding it between her thumb and forefinger she sneered, "This Cardian will help us hunt some more pathetic humans." So saying she flicked it up into the air and Alan blew a lilting melody on his flute. The card grew to average human size, just like the first one and a picture of a creature partly resembling a blue-skinned woman and partly a bull, with a human head and arms while the lower torso resembled the hind legs of a bull appeared. It also had wicked horns like a bull's sticking out of its head and also like the first Cardian, it came to life.<br>"Behold Cardian Minotaur to do our bidding," Alan declared removing his flute from his lips to thunderous cheers and applause.  
>When the noise had died down Anne produced a human newspaper and held it open to a huge two-page spread. "Listen to this everybody. I read in here that some humans are going to send out invitations to certain young girls to audition for something they call a motion picture. They want to select the perfect girl for this personal project of theirs at four o'clock this afternoon. But I've suggested to Alan that we infiltrate their studio building with Minotaur here and steal everybody's energy in one big hit."<br>The aliens all cheered again and Alan and Anne reveled in the adoring praise of their friends and partners.

And so while the film personnel phoned up a few select girls in the city to explain that they were looking for a suitable candidate to play the little sister of their lead star hero in a proposed action adventure movie, the aliens kept vigil watch over the studio. Furtively spying in the background invisibly and making their plans for when the girls arrived.  
>Serena herself was never phoned, but at school she was excited when Molly told her that she had been. "You're going to be in a MOVIE?" she cried out in the school grounds during lunch break and Molly placed her hand over her mouth, looking around her to see if anybody had overheard. But they hadn't.<br>"Please keep your voice down Serena. I don't want everybody to know yet. I'm not even certain I'll be in it. I've only been invited to apply for the audition being held this afternoon."  
>"Oh well good luck then."<br>But as soon as Serena said this Molly turned to her and said, "Can I ask you a favour Serena?"  
>"Yeah sure Molly."<br>"Would you please come with me for moral support? It would make me feel much better."  
>When Serena heard this she was surprised for a moment. But then she shook Molly's hand and smiled. "Okay Molly. I can skip the Video Arcade for one afternoon to do this for you."<br>Molly was very happy. "Thank you Serena. You're simply the best."  
>But secretly Serena was craftily thinking to herself, "And while I'm there I think I'll be able to squeeze in my own shot at the audition. No offence to Molly but I know she'll bear no grudge when I win. Yes of course I will win. I'm very beautiful and my hair is so cool. I just know they'll pick me. HEHEHEHEHE."<p>

However things did not go according to plan for Serena. When she arrived with Molly at the studio the security guard sternly told her that only girls who had been invited to the auditions were permitted to enter. She was devastated and asked, "Please couldn't you just make one little exception? My friend asked me to come along to support her."  
>"No I'm deeply sorry to both of you but the rules cannot be bargained with," said the guard as firmly, but as gently as he could.<br>Molly said, "I'll be okay. I'm very sorry to have wasted your time Serena. But thanks for agreeing to come all the same."  
>With that she turned and went through the door and before Serena could say or do anything else, four other girls approached together in a group.<br>"Excuse us. We were all invited to try out for the auditions," said one girl with long black hair. Serena knew who she and the others were. And so did Luna, who had been brought along with Serena and was curled up in her arms. They both smiled with silent joy and longing sorrow at how much they missed them.  
>The guard had already marked Molly's name off his list when he told Serena she couldn't go inside with her friend and he marked off each of their names with his pen as they told him. "You're Raye, you're Mina, you're Lita and finally you're Amy. Okay you can all enter."<br>"Thank you sir," said Amy. With that they all entered one by one taking a brief glance at Serena as they passed her and Luna. They were still suffering from their amnesia state and didn't even remember their basic friendship with her or with each other, but they had all been convinced of their identities and their families through therapy and had at least been acting friendly in a casual manner whenever they met. Molly and all the rest of the kids at school had been delighted to hear that Serena had come to fully remember who she was and they deeply sympathized with her estrangement from the others.

Serena turned and walked away. But as she rounded the corner seeing that nobody else was around, she suddenly put Luna down. "What are you doing Serena?" asked Luna but even while she was speaking Serena had already dug into her pocket and pulled out the magic disguise pen. Luna shut her eyes and groaned, "I give up. She will never listen to me."  
>"Disguise Power. Turn me into a movie camera operator."<br>Serena became the perfect part dressed very professionally and with a film camera in her hand and a box for carrying film in the other. "Here I go Luna. Wish me luck."  
>"Of course. You need plenty of luck Serena."<br>"Smarty-cat. This will get me inside," Serena left Luna behind. She felt slightly offended by her remark but her disguise did indeed get her past the guard. She was inside where Molly, Raye, Mina, Lita and Amy were seated in chairs waiting for the film producers to appear.

Before she knew it though two of the film people appeared and said, "Okay. Let's start the audition." But Serena couldn't help but notice that they spoke rather strangely slow and walked with such jerky movements as they made their way over to a nearby pair of curtains and drew them aside. It didn't look natural at all.  
>But all the girls stood up out of their seats and gasped in awe at the sight of the movie set that greeted them. It looked like a barren asteroid with tall ruined colonnades and towers in heaps of rubble and four or five moons suspended above in the inky-black sky. "I thought this was supposed to be an action flick. Not science-fiction," Molly cried in amazement.<br>"Wow! Sure is an awesome set," Lita gasped but then they all gasped even more as two figures materialized out of thin air in the center of the scene. They were Alan and Anne themselves.  
>Alan spoke first, "This is what our planet now looks like ever since we rose up in rebellion against our King and his royal family."<br>Anne added, "We overthrew them and all who stood by them and today they are our slaves in chains back home."  
>Alan finished, "And we've come here to do the same to this planet. After this we will go on to other worlds and eventually proclaim ourselves the rulers of the universe."<br>At this point of time the girls still thought it was all just actors and special effects and Amy said, "I'm sorry. I'm really not interested in auditioning for a science-fiction movie. If it's all the same to you I think I'll go home."  
>But as she turned to leave Alan snarled, "You are not going anywhere." Then he put his magic flute to his lips and began to play while Anne threw the card up in the air and cried, "Minotaur. Come forth."<br>As Minotaur began to burst out of her card Mina remarked, "Amazing special effects."  
>"Yeah," Lita agreed, "If I didn't know better I'd swear that was real."<br>But as Minotaur jumped down in front of Amy she gasped and cried out, "I think it is real."  
>Alan yelled out to Minotaur, "Attack those girls and drain them of all their energy right now."<br>But as Minotaur lowered her head with her menacing horns and proceeded to pursue the five girls who began to run around the set in a panic, Serena had had enough. Literally throwing her camera and film box to the ground with a crash she transformed. "MOON PRISM POWER!"

Dashing into the set piece she ran right past Alan and Anne before they even realized she was there. She didn't care about them for now. Her only concern was the Cardian that was chasing her friends. Anne gasped. "Alan! That was the strange female warrior who killed Fred. We'd better go get the others. There will be safety in numbers."  
>"I agree Anne."<br>With that the aliens dematerialized leaving the studio.

As for Sailor Moon, when she caught up with the others she found to her horror that Minotaur had cornered them and pinned Molly to a stone wall. She was nestled in between Minotaur's horns, one right under each of her armpits and just like when Vampeal was holding her, the energy proceeded to be drained from her body. Before Sailor Moon could even make her presence known Raye suddenly stunned the Cardian with a charm to the back of the head and Lita picked her up and judo flipped her to the ground. The charm fell off as it had only been lightly applied but Molly was free.  
>Sailor Moon cried out in amazement, "Hey that was awesome! What made you do that?"<br>Molly was too dazed to even acknowledge Sailor Moon's presence but Raye turned towards her and stammered, "I d-don't know. Suddenly I felt like I needed to do something."  
>"Me too," said Lita.<br>Then Minotaur jumped up off the ground and roared angrily. Sailor Moon tried to boldly take control taking her tiara in hand. "I'll fix things. MOON,"  
>However Minotaur was too fast for her and her horns extended and snapped like bull whips. Sailor Moon dropped her tiara as she tried to dodge, but soon she was picked up by the horns as they finally trapped her the same way Molly had been. Then she was lifted up between them and held high above Minotaur's head. Her arms, legs and head hanging down limply while her energy was siphoned off. The tree shivered gently back at the apartment as it felt Sailor Moon's energies being channeled into it by some of the aliens while Alan and Anne were speaking to Peter and Jenny inside the main living area about what was going on back at the studio.<br>Raye was getting agitated. "I feel like we should do something to help her. But I don't know why."  
>Lita, Amy and Mina all said they felt the same way. Then Nephlite appeared in front of their startled eyes. "I made you attack before when Molly was in danger. But I've brought assistance to make your restoration complete."<br>Then Serenity and Lune-Eclipsus appeared and proceeded to aid Nephlite in awakening the memories of Sailor Moon's friends.  
>In less than twenty seconds they all remembered how they had fought the Negaverse alongside Sailor Moon and the final big battle against Queen Beryl. They were all friends sworn to help and protect the Princess Serena. They all found their long lost transformation sticks and as the three ghosts disappeared they all shouted out.<br>"MERCURY POWER!"  
>"MARS POWER!"<br>"JUPITER POWER!"  
>"VENUS POWER!"<p>

At the very moment that Alan and Anne returned with Peter and Jenny by their side, the four aliens were horrified to see four additional female warriors, who immediately proceeded to save their leader from the Cardian's clutches.  
>First Mercury used her bubbles to confuse Minotaur long enough for Venus to perform a huge leap through the air and snatch Sailor Moon free from the grip of the two big horns. She had been weakened but not seriously so. She would be fine once she got her strength back.<br>But in the meantime Jupiter, Mars and Venus attacked the Cardian one straight after the other, and as the electrical thunderclap struck, followed by the massive fireball and the golden-crescent beam Minotaur screamed and was reduced to a smoldering card that turned completely black.  
>"W-what is this Alan?" Peter was dismayed.<br>"There's five of them now," Jenny cried and even Alan and Anne were terrified by the unexpected shock.  
>As the Scouts turned to stare at them Alan shouted, "Let's get out of here. Retreat!"<br>And the four aliens vanished leaving the newly-awakened Scouts to tend to Sailor Moon who smiled happily to see that they really were back with her. They quickly changed back to their civilian identities as Molly began to stir and wake up. They told her that the Sailor Scouts had been here and had saved them all from the terrible monster. She smiled broadly as her strength returned. She had seen her dear friend Nephlite in her mind and he had told her the other Scouts were also back.  
>With assistance from their friends, Molly and Serena were able to stand and leave the elaborate set but as soon as the coast was clear, the aliens quietly returned to retrieve their damaged Cardian from where she lay forgotten. Vampeal was finished the process of restoration. They would now put Minotaur through it.<p>

And so things were back to normal for Luna, Artemis and the five girls, but things were not happy in general. The producers who had been intending to take full charge of the making of that movie were discovered dead by the rest of the film crew and the security guard when they went to investigate the girls' claims of the events that had transpired. The police investigated but could determine no cause of death. There were no signs of any attack or injury on them. Molly was very distressed and needed to be treated for intense shock. Sailor Moon and her friends realized that the producers were probably already dead at the moment when they had greeted them all and pulled aside the curtains. Killed in cold blood and then re-animated for the diabolical purposes of these terrible aliens. They were all furious and swore in the Name of the Moon and their respective planets to punish these invaders with annihilation. What new terrible, unspeakable attacks would take place in the meantime though? Raye was trying her very best to get fire readings and Luna and Artemis held constant meetings every second day at the Cherry Hill Temple to help prepare the girls for the tough combat war they would inevitably have to fight in the end.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Lita, Serena and Amy were taking an evening stroll in the city park. Mr. Baxter gave them a cheery wave as they walked past him while he was watering the garden beds. "Why hello Amy. How are you and your friends tonight?"  
>Amy waved back and grinned. "Hello Mr. Baxter. We're all very well thank you."<br>Serena said, "It sure is a very pleasant evening Mr. Baxter."  
>Lita began to say, "A very good night to visit this,"<br>Suddenly she was cut off by a terrible scream in the distance. All of them including Mr. Baxter stared in the direction of the chilling scream with horror. The three girls could guess what may have been happening, but they had no opportunity to transform as a young teenage boy came running their way before they could even attempt to leave Mr. Baxter's presence. Lita recognized the boy. "Hey! That's Ken!" She ran up to him desperately asking him what the matter was.  
>Just as Ken cried, "Lita! Watch out!" a huge whitish-pink creature resembling a lion appeared with another one of those aliens running behind it.<br>Lita screamed. "Serena! Amy! Get Mr. Baxter to safety! I must try to help Ken!"  
>Serena and Amy obliged each grabbing one of Mr. Baxter's arms. "Come with us Mr. Baxter," said Amy and really he didn't need any coaxing as they dragged him away. He knew this was beyond his league. They ran as fast as they could out of the park and across the street. When they stopped to catch their breath Amy said to Serena, "You go and get some help while I stay with Mr. Baxter."<br>"Okay Amy." Serena ran off while Mr. Baxter thanked Amy for helping him. But the first chance Serena had she ducked into a shadowed alley and transformed into Sailor Moon. Doubling back she returned to the park to see if she could assist Lita and the boy she had identified as Ken.

Meanwhile back at the park Lita and Ken had been running as hard and as fast as they could. The alien and the lion pursued them relentlessly and the alien yelled out, "It's no use. Faraion our Lion Cardian will hunt you both down and get your energy."  
>Lita and Ken ran barely watching where they were going until Ken pulled Lita up to a stop. "Look out Lita!" As he urgently raised his voice Lita saw to her fright that she had been just about to run right into the railing of a balcony overlooking a cobblestone walkway below. She may have just fallen completely over the way she had been running so very fast. But they both turned in fear to behold the lion referred to as Faraion open his mouth and roar loudly. As he did so his breath blew over them and they both began to feel faint as their energy was sucked from their bodies. The breath was so strong it also blew them back against the railing and dizzy with the effect upon them they lost their balance and fell backwards. As she felt herself go head over heels Lita only just managed to successfully grab the railing and will herself to hold on. But Ken went falling all the way to the cobbled path below.<p>

Just then Sailor Moon discovered her quarry and called out, "Stop! I'm Sailor Moon!" However the alien didn't want to take any chances with any of those female warriors tonight.  
>"Faraion! Return to base with me right now," he desperately shouted and the Cardian obediently dematerialized along with him. Just as Sailor Moon was running up and shouting, "Come back cowards," Lita desperately shouted to get her attention.<br>"Sailor Moon! Help! Help!"  
>Realizing Lita's plight Sailor Moon quickly grabbed her free hand and pulled her back up and over the rail. But they were both horrified as they looked down at Ken's prone body. "I can see a pool of blood forming." Lita was aghast. "We must get assistance for him."<br>Sailor Moon obliged by pulling out her communicator and contacted Mina telling her to send an ambulance to the scene pronto. Mina responded naturally and Sailor Moon turned back into Serena as soon as she hung up her special device. Then she and Lita ran as fast as they could down the access path to reach Ken and offer first aid to staunch the bleeding while they waited for the ambulance.

As soon as the ambulance arrived Ken was rushed straight to the hospital while Lita and Serena made their own way there as fast as possible. Amy rejoined them after hearing that the danger was past and she wished Mr. Baxter a fond goodbye. "Thank you once again Amy. I'll try to be wary and you watch your back too," he had said this to her clasping hands affectionately before they parted.  
>Amy felt tears pricking her eyes as she thought about the possibility of anything drastic happening to her dear friend. "I will dear Mr. Baxter. Do be careful indeed." With that she had left to meet the others at the hospital hoping desperately that Mr. Baxter would indeed be safe.<p>

When the three girls arrived they asked urgently about Ken. The receptionist told them things were not good. "He lost a great deal of blood through that burst artery and we don't have enough reserves of type O in our supplies."  
>Lita didn't hesitate. "I have type O blood. Please use me to help him."<br>The receptionist quickly contacted the staff and made arrangements to hook Lita up to Ken for emergency blood donation. As soon as Lita and Ken were in two hospital beds side by side with the needles and tubes pumping Lita's blood into Ken's unconscious body Amy and Serena asked if she was feeling all right. Lita looked up at them and smiled. "I'll be fine. And so will Ken. You needn't worry about a thing."  
>"So what is the story between you and Ken?" asked Amy.<br>Lita smiled once more and answered. "He's my best friend."  
>"Your best friend?" Serena was astounded to hear that and Lita went on to elaborate.<br>"My very first, original and oldest best friend of all. Long before I ever met any of you since we were little children in kindergarten Ken has always been somebody I can rely upon whenever I need a friendly companion."  
>Serena and Amy were very impressed though silly Serena wanted to read something even more deeper into it. As Lita went on to say with her head turned looking at her friend, "It's always been like this as long as we've known each other. Even in what happened tonight. Ken was in just as much danger from the monster himself, but he was trying to watch out for me while we were fleeing together. He wanted to protect me as much as I was trying to protect him."<br>"Ah. So from the sounds of it he must feel the same way about you then Lita," said Serena with a huge grin.  
>"Serena please," admonished Amy but Lita either hadn't picked up on Serena's insinuation or simply chose to ignore it.<br>She simply turned back to face her friends, smiled and said, "I suppose so."

When Amy and Serena left Lita and Ken's bedsides and were preparing to go to their homes they had a surprise. In the corridors they found Jedite and Titus seated together by themselves. "Hey! What are you two doing here?" Serena gasped in astonishment and Amy addressed them by name but they quickly shushed them.  
>"Not so loud please. We don't want to attract undue attention," said Jedite quietly.<br>"And we prefer to be known as Jed and Tweetus now thank you," added Titus. Then they proceeded to explain their presence.  
>"Tweetus and I have decided to come and spend the rest of our lives together on earth," said Jed. "We're here at the hospital because we're waiting for a test to confirm whether we might be going to have a baby."<br>"Th-that's awesome! Good luck," said Serena.  
>"How will you handle the birth if you are pregnant Tweetus?" Amy asked.<br>Tweetus glanced around to make sure nobody was in hearing distance and whispered to the two girls, "We won't be able to risk coming here for the actual birth. We can't tell whether our baby will be 100% humanoid like my dear Jed, or whether it will display any of the various characteristics that most of us generally have. Therefore we will have a home birth. Our best friend the Dream Dolly, or as she calls herself now, Dorothy, is living with us and she will be midwife and nanny to the baby. We will have to keep it hidden away until we can teach it how to control its powers and human cover appearance but after about four months most new-born Youma learn very quickly."  
>"What happened to the rest of you? asked Serena.<br>Jed explained, "The rest of us returned to our own planet to settle down and start the Youma race all over again. Yasha will accomplish that very nicely between himself and his five partners. Between them all they will raise many sons and daughters."  
>Amy and Serena said goodbye to their old friends but warned them to be very careful about the new threat looming over the city. Nobody was safe. Even they could be potential victims. "Thanks for telling us about this," said Jed.<br>"We can defend ourselves with our own powers and we will keep a wary look-out," Tweetus assured them. "We wish you and the rest of the Sailor Scouts success in finding a way to destroy these dangerous invaders," she added.  
>And so Amy and Serena finally left and went to their respective homes and families.<p>

The following day after Lita had finished giving Ken her blood donation and gone home to bed, Luna and Artemis called for an emergency meeting at Raye's Temple when school was over.  
>Serena was running late because she just had to get herself in trouble with Miss Haruna as usual. She couldn't leave the classroom until she finished writing on the blackboard thirty times, "I will not daydream when I'm supposed to be paying attention to Miss Haruna." Miss Haruna had caught her "daydreaming" when she had asked her if she could give the answer to a mathematical equation she was presenting to random students. In fact she had been thinking deeply about Darien, trying to think of some way to help restore his memories. As soon as Miss Haruna had asked her, "Serena. What do you suppose is the solution to this problem we have here?" Serena had jumped and began to speak without thinking.<br>"Oh well. Maybe if I draw some pictures of me as a princess and him in his tuxedo with roses in his hand,"  
>"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Serena had jumped out of her skin when Miss Haruna had erupted like a sudden volcano and she had been speechless with a shocked look on her face and Miss Haruna roared at her to stay behind after school to do her lines.<br>In the meantime the cats were explaining things to the other four. "It's obvious there is some dangerous force out to steal life energy from people," said Luna.  
>Artemis added, "But Queen Beryl cannot possibly have anything to do with it. She's been completely neutralized and if she had regained her own memories and escaped back here Jed and Tweetus would have told Serena and Amy when they met them last night."<br>Luna agreed, "That's right Artemis. So there must be an entirely new threat come to earth."  
>Raye said, "And those weird aliens must be connected to it somehow."<br>Amy spoke up next, "Maybe their arrival is all tied in with that sudden explosion that resulted in the giant crater a few days ago."  
>Lita was very furious. "I'll give these creeps what for when I see them face to face." As she struck out at a post making it vibrate Raye said nervously, "Okay Lita. Just please don't demolish my home."<br>Artemis called for order. "Let's all go and see if Raye can get a reading from her Sacred Fire. We can't just wait around all day for Serena."  
>Everybody agreed to this and they all proceeded to the Shrine of the Sacred Flame.<p>

Raye sat on her knees in prayer. "Oh Sacred Fire. Please show me where our enemy will next strike." She and her friends kneeling behind her stared with wide eyes as the flames leaped up with bright orange glow illuminating a scene of the park with who else, but Amy's dear friend Mr. Baxter being drained of his energy by the mysterious lion.  
>Amy almost screamed as she sprang up on her feet. "Mr. Baxter. No! No! No!"<br>Raye spoke grimly, "This has not happened yet Amy. It's a vision of what will soon take place. But we must make our move at once if we are to prevent it."  
>"Then let's go," said Mina rising quickly and Lita followed suit. She was thinking of her best friend Ken. She had to stop others from ending up like him or even worse and Amy would just die if anything happened to Mr. Baxter.<p>

So just as Serena arrived at the steps to the temple having run all the way as soon as Miss Haruna had excused her, she was met by her friends fully transformed as they all rushed down and past her. Serena was puffing and panting and gasped out, "What's going on?"  
>Luna and Artemis were right behind and they told Serena to quickly transform.<br>"We're going to attack this latest monster Serena," said Luna.  
>"So there's no time to ask questions. It could mean life or death for people," said Artemis.<br>Serena obeyed. "MOON PRISM POWER!" She ran in pursuit of her friends calling out, "Wait for me!"  
>Artemis and Luna ran past all five of them even overtaking the lead from Sailor Mars and Sailor Mercury. Sailor Venus was close behind them but Sailor Moon noticed Sailor Jupiter stumble and almost crash into a street pole. She caught up with her while she leaned against it and held her forehead.<br>"Sailor Jupiter! Are you all right?"  
>Jupiter raised her head and replied, "Yeah. I'm f-fine."<br>Sailor Moon grabbed her arm. "No you're not. Your body is still weak from giving all that blood from the hospital last night. Why don't you go home and get some rest?"  
>Sailor Jupiter said, "Hmm?" and Sailor Moon implored some more.<br>"I know I'm a whiner, kind of clumsy and a wimp but I promise I'll fight extra hard today. Please don't fight Jupiter. I'm afraid you'll get really hurt."  
>Sailor Jupiter was very touched to hear this, however she said, "I understand and appreciate what you're saying Sailor Moon. But it's my absolute duty to do whatever I can to stop this monster before it attacks more innocent victims just like it attacked poor Ken."<br>When Sailor Moon saw the determined steely glint in Sailor Jupiter's eyes she realized that it was futile to argue any further. But daring to play her own trump card even in compromise she held her arm more tightly and said with determination of her own, "Then I won't try to stop you, providing that you give me your word of honour to be very careful at least."  
>Gazing into Sailor Moon's defiant eyes Jupiter momentarily looked annoyed, but then softened smiling. "Okay I give my solemn word to be careful indeed. Will you let me go now please?" She laughed as she said this and Sailor Moon released her arm.<br>"Let's go. Time's a-wasting!" Sailor Jupiter sped off in the direction everybody else had taken and Sailor Moon sighed before setting off after her.  
>"All this running in one afternoon," she groaned as she huffed and puffed.<p>

Sailor Moon didn't catch up to her friends before they reached Mr. Baxter in the park just at the moment when he was cowering in terror before the lion. The alien who was leading the Cardian pointed to Mr. Baxter and cried, "Faraion! Drain this old geezer dry of energy!"  
>Before even Sailor Mercury could make a move, Sailor Jupiter ran ahead and issued a challenge. "Hey! Why don't you and your overgrown furball pick on somebody your own size?" The alien and the lion both turned to face her defiantly and at a gesture from its master, the lion let out an almighty roar that picked up Sailor Jupiter and sent her flying backwards where she just so happened to land on top of Artemis and Luna knocking the wind out of them.<br>As Sailor Moon came running up she was just in time to see Jupiter attempt to use her thunder as the lion's roar overtook her. While she lifted Jupiter's unconscious form off of the two cats, Sailor Mars attempted to use her charms, but they were deflected and broken to pieces before they could reach their target. Finally as Sailor Venus attempted to shoot her Crescent Beam the lion roared again. She along with Sailors Mercury and Mars were all overpowered and sent flying the way Sailor Jupiter had been. Sailor Moon became determined to triumph. "You will not bowl me over the way you did my friends. I'm the Sailor of the Moon and I swear to triumph over your evil and punish you."  
>The alien sneered, "Faraion will make you eat those words Sailor Moon. Get her!"<br>As the lion roared Sailor Moon desperately dodged its powerful breath. In the meantime Mr. Baxter had taken advantage of the Sailor Scouts' distraction. He knew he was powerless to help them fight, but he quickly sneaked quietly away intending to call the authorities. Hopefully the Scouts would win in the end. He had seen Jupiter go down but if anybody stood a slim chance it would be the police force with their guns. It was a slim hope indeed he knew but it was the only option he and the whole city had if the Sailor Scouts failed.  
>But getting back to Sailor Moon she ran to the side avoiding the lion's roar, but it gave a huge jump and landed a few feet in front of her licking its lips. Sailor Moon desperately tried her tiara. "MOON TIARA MAGIC!"<br>But with another roar the tiara was sent blowing backwards and Sailor Moon only just barely managed to duck aside to avoid the danger of even getting minimally grazed by her own weapon as it flew straight back at her. Albeit the tiara's spinning velocity had been greatly reduced by the force of the Cardian's strong breath and was only slightly spinning before falling to the ground. If it had hit Sailor Moon she probably would have survived, but she may well have been knocked unconscious and at the mercy of the lion the alien referred to as "Faraion." Not that her chances seemed that much better in the long run, save that she could still try to duck and weave until she was exhausted.  
>"Destroy her!" the alien commanded. "Kill!"<br>Sailor Moon screamed as the lion prepared to pounce licking its lips.

Suddenly something flew through the air and stuck into the ground right next to the lion's paw distracting it. All three, the lion, the alien and Sailor Moon beheld a rose. But it wasn't red like the ones normally used by Tuxedo Mask. It was bright white. They all raised their eyes upwards in wonderment to behold a figure standing on the branch of a tall tree. He was dressed like an Arabian Sheikh in clothing that was as white as the rose he had just thrown and his face was concealed behind a white sash. Only his eyes were visible in between it and the white headpiece he wore. He spoke with an alluring voice. "The moonlight is very beautiful tonight. Far too beautiful for such shady, ugly goings-on as are being currently perpetrated. Don't you agree with me?"  
>"Who are you?" cried Sailor Moon. The figure seemed to be approximately the correct height and build to conceivably be Darien in a new style of dress-up.<br>He answered her promptly. "I am known as the Moonlight Knight." Sailor Moon was intrigued. The voice didn't sound exactly like Darien's but it was rather similar. Could it truly be?

Whatever the identity of this Moonlight Knight person the alien appeared to know who he was. "It's you!" he shouted. "It's really you! Faraion take care of that traitor!" Sailor Moon gasped as the lion obediently lunged into the air to attack the Moonlight Knight.  
>"Watch out," she screamed but just before the lion could grab the Moonlight Knight with its claws, he leaped off the branch into the air. Drawing a sword from a belt around his waist he attacked the lion. But he didn't slash or stab at it. Instead he just said, "Forgive me old friend and comrade," and struck the lion on the head with the flat of his sword. Even though he didn't seem to actually hit all that hard in any case the lion crumpled to the ground and lay there as if knocked out.<br>The alien dematerialized shouting to the Moonlight Knight, "I'll tell the others I've seen you! We'll discover the only way you can be killed! You will pay for betraying us!"  
>Sailor Moon was getting confused. She wanted to believe this stranger was her Darien, but what did the alien mean by calling him a traitor and saying that he'd betrayed them? And why had he only gently dealt with the lion calling it friend and comrade? "Won't you explain to me who you are Moonlight Knight?"<br>He was standing in the tree again and said, "No I'm sorry. I must leave right now. But take care Sailor Moon and fight to the best of your ability."  
>With that he turned and disappeared into the night with an enormous single bound.<p>

As Sailor Moon was pondering this mystery she failed to notice the lion begin to recover and stand on its feet. But Sailor Jupiter had also started to wake up along with Luna. The others were still out of it though.  
>As Sailor Jupiter and Luna realized the danger Sailor Moon was in they both shouted out warnings to her. But even as Sailor Moon turned at the sound of their voices the lion was pouncing upon her. It pinned her to the ground and Sailor Moon started to feel her energy being absorbed through its paws.<br>Luna was horrified and cried, "Sailor Jupiter! You must help her!"  
>As Sailor Jupiter beheld the plight of Sailor Moon she also remembered her best friend, Ken and she determined to use all her power to vanquish this beast. "Great Jupiter! Bring forth your most violent storm-clouds, thunder, lightning bolts, wind and devastation. JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!"<br>Just as Mr. Baxter arrived with a large number of police officers, they were all just in time to behold Sailor Jupiter's mighty power display as it struck the lion picking it up off Sailor Moon and throwing it aside. As it hung suspended in mid-air it gave the most enormous roar of all that made everybody cover their ears. The police all dropped their weapons and fell to their knees along with Mr. Baxter. But when things were quiet the lion Cardian was gone and in its place was a black card that lay forgotten among the grass.

Sailor Jupiter was a little bit exhausted after the concerted effort she'd put in particularly because of how Sailor Moon had noted she was already rather weak before. But she would recover and as the other Scouts were waking up Luna and Artemis kept quiet while the police got all the facts from the girls for their records. The officers said they were very glad that the Sailor Scouts had all returned. "These sort of evil forces are way beyond our level of expertise," one of them commented. They were all endeavouring to stay cool and calm outwardly, though inside they were somewhat scared and hoped the super-heroines would eradicate the threat lingering over the city as soon as possible.  
>But not even Luna or Artemis took the time to notice a spooky, green, disembodied hand appear to take hold of the defeated Cardian and disappear with it. Alan and Anne were determined not to lose any of their Cardians. They were too valuable to allow them to lie around wasted and misplaced.<p>

Later Ken was feeling much better and was discharged from the hospital in the company of his family.  
>That night Serena was in her room wondering about the mystery of the Moonlight Knight when Luna tried to remind her of her need to study for the first of her school mid-term exams the following morning. "Aw Luna! I can't study now! I've got enough on my mind puzzling over Darien and the Moonlight Knight! I just can't do it! Impossible!"<br>Luna moaned and muttered, "This girl is going to make all my fur turn ashen-grey one day. I simply bet on it."


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

It was a Saturday and Serena thought she would be able to sleep as much as she needed to. The previous night Luna had forced her to study for her important examinations that were on Friday mid-morning, but her heart just hadn't been in it. She had been worrying about Darien and the Moonlight Knight's sudden appearance and the weird things that had happened. She knew in her heart that she would fail and Miss Haruna and her parents would be really upset with her. So she had been unable to even go to sleep thinking about this along with the other things until about half-past four in the morning. At half-past nine she was still snoozing when her mother came into her bedroom and forced her to wake up by yanking the covers off her bed.  
>"Get up young lady. You can't sleep all day."<br>Still half-asleep Serena groaned and yawned protesting. "Aw Mum. I need my rest."  
>"Your father and brother left two hours ago. They couldn't wait for you to get up." Relentlessly her mother carried the bed covers out saying, "Oh I give up. Serena if you still want to go to the new Virtual Reality Arcade you'd better get yourself dressed and ready. Sammy and Dad must be having fun while you've been making out like a Rip Van Winkle wannabee."<br>Serena really did want to go to the new special Arcade Center though she had forgotten about it. Still yawning and trying to wake up she said, "O-okay Mum. I'll g-g-get up." She still looked like she needed more sleep however and as she staggered to go quickly shower Luna couldn't help silently sighing in despair. Serena was making a nervous wreck of herself.

At the alien's apartment Anne pressed her hand up against the big tree where it still lay on the bed they had set it upon. Alan was standing somber beside the door and all the other aliens except Peter and Jenny were gathered around rather worried. Anne turned to them all and said, "The tree is beginning to grow strong once more. We're not injecting it with enough human energy and it's all the fault of Sailor Moon and that backstabbing Moonlight Knight that Bert told us about the other day."  
>The alien, whose name was Bert, had been the one in charge of the last Cardian they'd selected to aid them. The lion called Faraion who by now was all finished with the natural process to renew him after being struck by Sailor Jupiter's heavy thunder attack.<br>All eyes turned to Alan as he spoke with arms folded and head bowed. "I don't know what to do except gather more energy as soon as possible. We all know that if that tree breaks free from our control, it will turn on us and wreak its vengeance."  
>The aliens all trembled with real fear and some of them half screamed, half gasped with their hands over their mouths.<br>Just then the door opened and Peter and Jenny entered. Peter carried something which he handed to Alan. "Look at this," he said.  
>"What is it Peter?" Alan asked taking the piece of paper and looking at it. The words and the picture caught his attention as Jenny gave explanation.<br>"It was in the mail slot for our apartment downstairs at the manager's desk. It's an advertisement for the opening of a brand new Virtual Reality Arcade Center today."  
>Peter took over smiling, "It sounds like the perfect place to prey upon people's energy. How about it Alan? Would you and your sister Anne love to go out on a special treat with your dear daddy today?"<br>The aliens all began to laugh as Anne chortled raising one fist in the air. "Wow. What a generous father you are Peter! We'll have fun, won't we Alan?"  
>"We will indeed," Alan's eyes twinkled malevolently as he stared at the advertisement some more.<p>

And so Serena and Luna went to join the line for admission to the Virtual Reality Arcade. At first Serena was put off by the long crowd of people and was telling Luna she was tempted to just forget about it and go else-where. That is until she saw Darien walking up to join the queue. "I-it's Darien Luna," she was enamored to see him alone. "And he doesn't have a lady clinging to his shoulder. Maybe I'll stay after all and see if I get a chance to make him remember me." She suddenly put Luna on the ground and said, "See you later Luna. I've got a handsome man to catch."  
>Luna felt rather perturbed at being cast aside just like that. She grumbled to herself, "If only she would invest this much devotion into investigating and fighting evil."<br>Serena stood behind Darien in line and tried to act innocent though he cast a suspicious look behind him at her and rolled his eyes. He remembered her as the crazy girl who had harassed him a few days ago. He felt rather tempted to skip the Arcade himself and was just on the verge of walking away when Alan and Anne appeared.  
>Their "father" Peter had sneaked inside the Arcade earlier to meet them when they were ready to spring their trap. He had come all by himself while Serena had still been snuggled up in her bed. The attendant had attempted to restrain him at first. He had begun to say, "I'm sorry sir. You must wait your turn in line please," but Peter had used his eerie hypnotic abilities to charm the man. As he looked Peter in the eye he suddenly felt all faint and dazed. Then he smiled and said, "Of course. Step this way sir. Please pardon me."<br>Peter had slipped inside where he immediately ducked into the staff room where he similarly hypnotized everybody present so they didn't register his presence. Then he kept close watch on the monitor screens awaiting Alan and Anne.  
>As they just happened to be approaching while Darien made a move to try to depart Anne gasped when she saw him for the very first time. She reached out and held his arm. "Hey! You're not leaving are you?"<br>Darien, Serena and even Alan were taken by surprise and Anne blushed as she went on. "Er. My name is Anne and this is my brother Alan. We've come here to enjoy ourselves too. You wouldn't want to miss this, would you? I'm sure it would be very exciting and stimulating to your brain power and energy levels." She gave special emphasis to the way she said the last two words. "Won't you accompany us? We love meeting people and having fun."  
>Darien was thinking to himself that maybe this brother and sister would be a fun pair to hang out with and if he wasn't alone this creepy girl with the hair resembling spaghetti and meat balls would find it hard to harass him so he smiled and said, "Yeah sure. I'm very pleased to meet you Anne. My name is Darien."<br>As he shook Anne's hand Serena was silently fuming with resentfulness. She swore to herself that she would find some way to get Darien all alone to herself inside the Arcade. Alan meanwhile had mixed feelings. He was almost sure that Anne had only meant to try to dissuade a potential victim from leaving but part of him was suspicious. If Anne was really showing sudden similar infatuation toward this Darien as he had once done to Serena while at school? Well that was hypocrisy on her part. But he would wait until he was sure. If he had reason to think it were so, he determined that he would say nothing to her. After all why should he honour his promise to nip his wild feelings about Serena in the bud in such a case? Truth was he did still find Serena attractive. If all the humans needed to be drained of their life energy he would make Serena the one and only exception. There was something about her that captured his devotion even though he genuinely loved Anne.  
>As for Anne she was feeling slightly embarrassed. Why had her heart suddenly fluttered the first moment she had lain eyes on Darien just now? "He's so dreamy. For a human that is," she was thinking. "But wait! I admonished Alan for feeling this way about that irritating human girl of a tramp Serena. Am I degrading myself? And yet there's something about this Darien that thrills my passion. I hope I succeeded in covering things up in Alan's sight."<br>For now Serena, Darien, Alan and Anne all waited quietly in the queue to enter the Arcade, none of them saying a single thing out loud. They were all each pondering over his or her own personal thoughts to themselves however.

As they finally had their turn to enter Luna was left behind worrying about what might happen. Fortunately just as Serena and the others were gone, she heard a familiar voice call out, "Hey there's Luna. Hi Luna." Turning at the sound Luna smiled to see Mina who had called out waving to her, along with Raye, Lita and Amy. Luna knew she could depend on them to keep an eye on Serena. She had no suspicions of sinister activity connected with the Virtual Reality Arcade of course. She was only worried that Serena might make a fool of herself over Darien. She joined the queue along with the girls and explained the situation to them.  
>Raye rolled her eyes and sighed, "I'm trying to be tolerant and patient with Serena but she's still very silly and impetuous sometimes."<br>"We all feel the same way Raye, but at the same time I can kind of sympathize with her about Darien," said Lita.  
>"Yes the poor thing misses him very much," sighed Amy.<br>"We will try to help her Luna. I just hope she doesn't cause any scenes before we are able to join her inside the building," finished Mina.  
>"Thank you girls." Luna was deeply grateful.<p>

Meanwhile inside Serena's Dad and little brother Sammy were very excited. They were walking through the mazes armed with special goggles to enable them to see the monsters projected on the walls at random and imitation ray guns they would fire to dispel them. As the battery operated weapons projected coloured beams of light at the monsters if they responded quick enough to hit them in two seconds without missing they would chalk up points for their overall score card to be presented to them on their departure. Sammy was pretending to fight evil in the Name of the Moon, just like Sailor Moon. Dad was proving to be a very good shot himself. "Good work Dad," Sammy complimented as his father picked off not one, but two monsters, one after the other.  
>"Thanks Sammy," Dad grinned broadly. "You're not too bad yourself. A couple of them took you by surprise at first. But you're learning well fast."<br>Just then Sammy cried, "Dad! Behind you!" He drew his gun and pushed past his father even as he yelled out to fire and hit the projection that had formed while Dad's back was turned.  
>"You don't cease to impress me Sammy," laughed Dad.<br>"I can't believe Serena didn't wake up to come here with us," Sammy thought to himself.

But Serena was currently in a different area of the maze, though her relatives were unaware, and even though she had been looking forward to the experience, now she was wishing she could be anywhere but there. She felt so down in the dumps as she trudged along after Darien. If only Alan and Anne hadn't shown up. First of all Anne was making such a big show of "saving" Darien and her brother from monsters. Every time one appeared she would shoot it and throw her arms around Darien and Alan's shoulders. "Aha! Aha! Ain't I the greatest shot? Yay for me!" She was purposely hamming it up and Serena wished she could disappear into the floor.  
>Darien was slightly embarrassed, but he smiled as Anne went on, "Don't worry boys. Whatever other horrors are lurking around here I'll protect you from them."<br>Alan was getting extremely suspicious and he frowned darkly at Anne. She didn't flinch however. She just laughed. "Hey brighten up Alan. All work and no play will make a dull boy out of you."  
>Then Darien and Alan both turned and fired together in Serena's direction. She gasped and turned her head just in time to see the huge dragon-like beast fade away behind her.<br>Then looking at Serena Alan grinned at Anne and said through clenched teeth, "Oh well. As long as you want to play bodyguard to Darien Anne, I think I'll play bodyguard to poor, little, lonesome Serena. She looks so scared."  
>"What?" Anne and Serena both said this together as Alan walked over and put his arm around her. Anne ground her teeth but Alan laughed at her.<br>"Now now Anne. Fair's fair. We had a deal remember?"  
>Anne bit her tongue and in a huff grabbed Darien's arm. Darien was wondering what kind of scene exactly he was participating in and Serena bowed her head and sighed deeply to herself.<br>"Alan is kind of nice," she thought. "But I'd much rather be with my Darien and I don't like the attention Anne is giving him."  
>Neither Alan nor Anne gave any consideration to the fact that their "daddy" Peter may well be observing their activities through the monitor screens in the control room, where the staff still carried on with their various jobs oblivious to his presence among them. Peter was very taken in by their strange behaviour. It looked weird and he thought he'd better monitor their two leaders and deeply analyze their actions. He would find ways to spy on them individually and together. He wanted to be sure they were not doing any foolish things that may jeopardize the triumph of their invasion plans.<p>

Darien and Alan began expertly zapping the monster holograms to Anne and Serena's mutual admiration. But then Serena said, "Okay. Now it's my turn."  
>She fired at a huge monster but she missed. As Anne taunted and mocked her she tried to brush it off laughingly. "Oh well. I never said silly war games were my cup of tea anyway."<br>But Anne only mocked her all the worse. "I didn't know you were such a wuss Serena. One failure and you chicken out. Pathetic loser."  
>Serena was incensed. "You take that back."<br>The two of them were on the verge of an intense argument when another monster appeared next to them and they jumped aside with fright as Darien shot it. Anne threw her arms around him. "Thank you Darien. I could hug you forever."  
>Alan growled as those words slipped out of her mouth but Darien had decided he'd had enough and pushed her aside.<br>"Look," he told her, "some men may like pushy females but it sure doesn't appeal to me."  
>Serena laughed and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Ha! That's telling her Darien. You're mine, aren't you?"<br>As she tried to embrace him he pulled himself away. "I said I don't like pushy females. You think that doesn't include you, you meatball-headed freak? Both of you leave me alone!"  
>With that he ran into the nearest corridor but Serena, though his words stung like the bite of a wasp, pursued him crying, "Wait! Stop Darien! Please!"<p>

Alan made as if to follow Serena when Anne caught his arm and then they began to argue hotly about why the other was behaving so irresponsibly, though they both tried to justify their own actions. Peter was not impressed by what he saw at all. But for now he knew it was time to join them and set the plan in motion to gather energy. However he was beginning to have grave doubts that they were fit leaders and when he obtained enough proof he would expose them to all the others.  
>As he suddenly materialized beside them he pretended to be unaware of everything that had transpired. "Alan! Anne!"<br>They both jumped in surprise at the sound of his voice and blushed nervously. "Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Peter smiled innocently and continued, "I just thought now would be an excellent time to spring our trap on all the humans in here."  
>Alan and Anne both quickly regained their composure. "Uh. Sure Peter," said Alan.<br>"We're ready and raring to deal these humans a change of pace in their Virtual Reality adventure," Anne laughed.  
>"Yeah, it'll be virtually a new adventure in their actual reality," Alan chuckled as he and Anne changed into their regular selves just like Peter.<br>Alan drew the deck of cards from his pocket and held them out to Anne. "Pick a Cardian my sweet pea."  
>Anne pointed her finger at the one she wanted and it rose into the air. Alan played his magic flute and the Cardian grew revealing a tall, green-skinned humanoid with yellow eyes, pointed ears and tentacles sprouting from her hair and body. As the card turned into the live Cardian Alan lowered the flute from his lips and said, "Cardian Nacrid. Obey our commands to attack any humans you find and drain their energy."<br>"I hear and obey you," Nacrid bowed in humble submission.

Shortly while Darien was trying his best to lose pesky Serena within the maze of corridors, suddenly her brother Sammy came face to face with them running in the opposite direction. He was yelling as loudly as he could, "Help! Help! Somebody help please!"  
>Darien pulled up to a sudden stop upon hearing Sammy's voice a split second before he burst into sight. Even Serena was genuinely concerned sensing the very real fright and upset in his voice and facial expressions. "Sammy. What is the matter?"<br>"Serena! It's our Dad!" Sammy gasped trying to catch his breath. "One of the monsters isn't a holographic image. It's for real and others have already been laid cold by it. And Dad is also in danger."  
>Darien responded promptly. "Stay here. I'll go check things out." He made a move as if to run off by himself but Sammy grabbed his arm.<br>"Come with me. I'll show you the way to where Dad is."  
>Darien looked at Sammy and consented. "Very well. Lead me to the place."<br>Serena said she wanted to come too, but Sammy said to her, "You stay here Serena. It's too dangerous for a mere girl like you. If only Sailor Moon was here."  
>As Sammy and Darien ran off Serena was very insulted at what her brother had said, even though she knew full well that he didn't know she was Sailor Moon. She followed secretly at a distance.<p>

Serena and Sammy's Dad was getting desperate. The Cardian named Nacrid stood before him whipping her tentacles in the air ready to strike amidst the bodies of all her previous victims. The poor tree back at the aliens' apartment was helplessly pressed back into full submission and it felt the shock as the people were all weakened and it felt intense pain if a victim's entire life force was injected into it. Back at the Arcade Alan, Anne and Peter were watching Nacrid's work with satisfaction and they smirked as Dad screamed, "This isn't working! You're supposed to be just a projection and vanish!" He was vainly firing his laser gun at the Cardian and one of her tentacles yanked it out of his grip and threw it away. Just as Nacrid was about to reach out and snare Dad, Darien and Sammy arrived on the scene. Darien threw his own weapon striking Nacrid on the back of the head. Even as Nacrid turned her attention to Darien and Sammy she felt something else hit her from the opposite direction.  
>"Sammy run for it!" It was Dad shouting. He had grabbed and thrown one of the fire extinguishers at Nacrid and he already had another one in his hands ready to discharge its contents as a defensive weapon. "Sammy run to safe cover. I'll fix this creature. Take this!" He took a single step towards the Cardian firing the extinguisher into her face. Nacrid was momentarily taken aback as the foam blinded her, but she wiped it away with one hand and shielded her face from further attack with the other. While Dad tried aiming for Nacrid's whole body hoping to confuse and overpower her, one tentacle from the Cardian's torso lashed out and seized him around his ankle. Sammy cried out in dismay but before he or Darien could try anything else they were grabbed by other tentacles around their waists. They were helpless as Nacrid raised them all into the air snarling, "I shall suck you dry. Every last one of you."<br>Anne was aghast as she looked upon Darien. She wanted to tell Nacrid to release him. She hated the thought of anything happening to him. But she was helpless with Peter present. However Peter's eagle eye had noted the look upon her face and he thought to himself, "I was right. Anne is weak and unstable. I shall find evidence to convict her and also Alan. We want better leaders than this."

But help was at hand for Serena could see what was happening and before she ran out into open view she yelled out her transformation words, "MOON PRISM POWER!"  
>As Sailor Moon she issued her challenge to the Cardian. "Hey! You ugly bug! Put those people down and deal with me."<br>"It's that Sailor Moon again," Alan sneered and she continued her speech.  
>"That's right. I'm the Champion of Justice and in the Name of the Moon I shall punish you as well as this energy-draining monster of yours."<br>Anne was secretly relieved to have an excuse to command Nacrid to put Darien down before he was critically deprived of his energy and so she quickly cried out, "Nacrid! Release those people and drain Sailor Moon until she is a withered husk!"  
>Nacrid complied by tossing Darien, Sammy and Dad aside and they hit the wall and slumped to the floor groaning.<br>As Nacrid's tentacles twisted like writhing snakes, Sailor Moon prepared to attack first. "MOON TIARA MAGIC!" She sent her weapon flying at the Cardian and Alan, Anne and even Peter held their breath remembering how that very weapon had taken out their first Cardian Vampeal and also killed their ally Fred in the crossfire. They were all a safe distance away, but would the tiara neutralize Nacrid?  
>However it sputtered out and dropped to the floor before it was even halfway towards the Cardian. Sailor Moon was shocked. "It can't be! My tiara has lost all its power!"<br>Anne laughed vindictively. "Your tiara is powerless you say? Then you've had it Sailor Moon. Get her Nacrid!"  
>Sammy and Dad had slipped into unconsciousness but Darien had managed to raise himself to his feet and cried out, "Hey you! Sailor Moon! I've heard stories about you. You'd better do something fast."<br>Sailor Moon trembled and quaked. Any minute the Cardian would lash out at her with her tentacles and she didn't know what else to do. If only Darien had had the chance to slip into his Moonlight Knight identity.

Suddenly something flew past Nacrid's line of vision and stuck into the floor. She was distracted and looked down to behold a white rose. Then she looked up along with Sailor Moon, Darien and the aliens and all eyes beheld the Moonlight Knight standing atop the rafters built into the roof. "Nacrid," he called down imploringly, "Nacrid. I don't want to fight you, but if I must I'll try to go easy on you."  
>Sailor Moon was at first very relieved to see him, but then she was confused as she turned to look at Darien who was saying, "Who's this fellow? Lawrence of Arabia?"<br>Alan cried out, "Moonlight Knight! You shall pay for your treachery to our cause! Get him Nacrid!"  
>"Yes master." As Nacrid sent her tentacles flying at the Moonlight Knight he reluctantly jumped and drew his sword cutting off the three tentacles from Nacrid's hair and they fell to the ground. But as soon as he landed Nacrid shook her head and the tentacles grew back again. The Moonlight Knight was ready and raised his sword once more but while Nacrid attacked with her hair tentacles directly again and as the Moonlight Knight was slashing at them, she craftily lashed out with a torso tentacle at his ankle. Lassoing his ankle and pulling back hard the Moonlight Knight was thrown over backwards and his sword fell out of his grip. He was yanked away before he could grab it once more and the rest of the tentacles were tied around his body. As he struggled he cried out pleadingly, "Nacrid don't do this. We're friends. Please remember. We're friends Nacrid."<br>Sailor Moon was flabbergasted to hear this and as upset as she was about the danger she, Darien and her relatives were in, only one thing was first and foremost on her mind as she screamed, "What do you mean you're supposed to be friends with that horrible creature?"

At that moment two familiar voices shouted out one after the other. "MERCURY BUBBLES BLAST!" Nacrid was suddenly attacked by a powerful blast of cold fog, but she still just managed to retain her hold on the Moonlight Knight.  
>"MARS FIRE IGNITE!" Next thing a wave of red-hot fire washed in between Nacrid and the Moonlight Knight burning off the tentacles releasing him. As he flew off to the side he rolled to absorb the impact of his fall.<br>Sailor Moon's friends had finally made it into the Arcade after a very long wait in the queue along with Luna and they hadn't wasted time as soon as they discovered what was going on.  
>Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter both attacked together as soon as the Moonlight Knight was out of range.<br>"VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!"  
>"JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!"<br>As the two attacks struck the Cardian pointblank simultaneously she screamed and was quickly reduced to a blank card which the Moonlight Knight ran over and caught just before it dropped to the floor. He looked at it and groaned. His eyes peeking above his lower face covering were full of deep sadness. "Poor Nacrid." Then he threw the card at Anne who caught it instinctively. "Here! You know what to do about this." After saying this to the aliens he turned and said to the Sailor Scouts, "Your greatest strength is in your unity. If you all stick together you will be invincible. Goodbye for now." Then he ran away and disappeared.  
>Alan said, "So you've won another round Sailor Scouts."<br>Anne gripped Nacrid's card in between her thumb and forefinger, "But we'll be back."  
>Then along with Peter they all vanished.<br>Luna, the other Scouts and even Darien were all confused wanting to know what had just happened but Sailor Moon had no answer for them and as emergency crews came in with stretchers and medical supplies they all had to assist with emergency procedures, except for Sailor Moon who ducked into the shadows and transformed into Serena to stay by her father and brother's unconscious forms.

The attacks were headline news that night. Serena's mother was watching the report while tending to Dad and Sammy's injuries with her first aid kit. Sammy yelled as she attempted to apply iodine to his scratches. "That hurts Mum!"  
>"I know it hurts but you must keep still Sammy," she told him.<br>Dad said, "Just be thankful we're both alive Sammy. Others weren't so lucky. Five families are faced with the tragedy of losing their loved ones. I feel deeply sorry for them."

Serena was very worried and upset. The first chance she had she had told her friends about her tiara not working. Luna in particular was in dismay. "How could your tiara be broken? I don't believe it."  
>The others had tried to console her saying maybe it was a one-off freak occurrence, but she was still troubled not only about her tiara, but about the mystery of the Moonlight Knight. In her bedroom that night she spoke to Luna, "I was so sure the Moonlight Knight was Darien. But now that I know he isn't who can he possibly be? And if he really is on our side then why does he show such tender compassion towards those monsters that serve our current enemies? What is going on Luna?"<br>As she quietly sobbed Luna gulped and said, "I wish I could give you the answers Serena. I do so wish with all my heart."


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Today was a special holiday from school for everybody in the entire city. Everybody from work and businesses wherever possible also had today free from work. This was known as Cherry Blossom Time Day. It was held in recognition of the beginning of the time when all the cherry tree blossoms came into bloom and people always celebrated with picnics in the various places where cherry trees grew abundantly. Today Miss Haruna had invited some of her female students to join her and her good friends Herbert and Helen Humphreys for the occasion. Before becoming Herbert's wife Helen had been known as Miss Lambert and she was still employed as the sewing teacher at Serena's school. They selected a small group of girls for their shared picnic lunch. There were Serena, Amy, Lita, Molly and Anne. Anne was a member of their class in her human disguise as a high school student and when she had heard about this special incident at the giving of her invitation she had told Alan, Peter and Jenny that this could be an excellent opportunity to attack people for more energy to keep the tree they held prisoner in line. Alan had smiled in ironic false admiration as he remarked, "Remember how this tree used to similarly blossom and bloom back on our own planet before we all rose up in opposition to our stupid King and all who supported him?"  
>"Yeah," Anne guffawed, "when we succeeded in bringing the tree under our control all its protective power was eradicated and everybody was helpless against our forces."<br>Alan went on to say, "How gloriously ironic that we will now use the energy of the earth people in honour of their own ordinary trees beautiful blossoming to keep this tree subject to us."  
>Jenny laughed with excitement and said, "It's wonderful Alan. Absolutely fantastic."<br>"It is indeed," said Peter. He had not yet conferred his suspicions about Alan and Anne even to Jenny as of yet. He intended to wait until he had solid proof to get her on his side first.

And so Anne had gone along to the picnic innocently intending to spring a new trap with the help of Alan. In addition to the invited girls, the three adults had also granted permission for Serena, Amy and Lita to invite their friends, Mina and Raye who attended different schools. So the ten of them all met together and went to the designated spot they had selected. They had even been permitted to bring their pet cats so Mina carried Artemis and Serena carried Luna. There were many other groups holding Cherry Blossom picnics of their own but they were looking around for Melvin. "Melvin said he would pick out and save a perfect spot for our picnic Patricia," Mrs. Humphreys said to Miss Haruna. "Everybody keep a sharp look out for him."  
>It was Molly who noticed Melvin sitting under a pair of the two biggest cherry trees side by side on top of a big, blue blanket. He was also keeping an eye out for the group and just as Molly pointed in his direction and said, "There he is," he had spotted them himself and waved excitedly.<br>He called out, "Hey Molly! Everybody! How are you?"  
>As they all approached smiling many voices said, "Hello Melvin," and Molly thanked him for saving them a place.<br>Serena commented, "This sure is an excellent place you selected for us. How long have you been here?"  
>Melvin raised his glasses in a very small, very brief gesture as he smiled and answered, "I was here very, very early to ensure this area would not be already claimed."<br>"How early was that Melvin?" Molly inquired curiously and Melvin made the whole group, except for Anne at the very back, gasp with astonishment when he replied.  
>"Since 9 o'clock last night."<br>"What?" Miss Haruna cried.  
>Amy said, "But it must have been freezing cold last night. How could you stand it?"<br>"Easy." Melvin reached into his suitcase and pulled something out. "I brought my goose-down sleeping bag to sleep in. I was very warm last night. Lovely and comfortable."  
>Everybody was amazed at the fact that Melvin had camped out to save them the best spot for their picnic. Mrs. Humphreys said with a big smile, "You really didn't need to go through that much trouble for us Melvin."<br>Mr. Humphreys and Miss Haruna were as touched as she herself was when he answered, "Yeah. I know I didn't have to. But I wanted to anyway. I'd do anything to help you all out and of course I'd do anything to help Molly."  
>Molly kneeled down next to him and said, "You did it for me?"<br>He smiled and beamed, "Yes. Especially for you Molly."  
>"Oh Melvin." She blushed and hugged him making him embrace her. All the other girls and the three adults grinned broadly at this, especially Serena.<br>But the evil Anne was thinking to herself, "Good. Such romantic love energy to donate to our captive tree. If you're really, really lucky you may both end up dying in each other's arms. A sweet way to go in support of our cause. Ha ha ha!"

While they were all enjoying the picnic food, even Anne found some of the earth delicacies very delectable, suddenly Alan came walking up acting nice and friendly. "Why hello everybody," he smiled silkily.  
>"Hello Alan," said Miss Haruna.<br>As Alan specifically said hello again to Serena adding how very beautiful she was looking, Serena blushed. She wished that Alan would not be so obvious in expressing his admiration of her. She felt embarrassed as all her friends winked and giggled. Anne felt very mad though she controlled her temper.  
>"Would you like to join us Alan?" Mrs. Humphreys began to ask and Alan almost said yes but Anne jumped up and quickly spoke up.<br>"Wait a minute Alan." She strode over and grabbed his arm roughly making him wince a little. "If you don't mind I'd really like the two of us to walk off and spend some quality brother and sister time together for Cherry Blossom Time Day. Afterward I don't mind if you come back and socialize with everybody, not just Serena, but I want you all to myself for awhile first. Understood?"  
>She emphasized her words very clearly and Alan stammered submissively, "Yeah s-sure th-thing Anne. Well let's go then. Goodbye all."<br>As they disappeared Serena said, "Those two are kind of weird. Anne acts rather jealous whenever Alan speaks to me. Strangely jealous for a sister."  
>Amy agreed, "You're right. Very strange."<br>The other kids all had perplexed looks on their faces but Mr. Humphreys said, "Ah well. Never mind about that. Let's all just continue to enjoy ourselves." Having no reason to suspect Alan and Anne of foul play even Serena and her four allies followed Mr. Humphrey's suggestion and put the weird brother/sister act out of their minds.

But when Alan and Anne were a safe distance away from all the various people in general and on their own they transformed into their normal forms and began to argue. "So Alan. Do you still think that ditz Serena is beautiful?"  
>"What's it to you if I do Anne?" Alan laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "If you won't admit that you feel just as attracted to that earth man called Darien you met at the Virtual Reality Arcade the other day, then why should I admit to anything?"<br>Anne started to get angry." "You, you." Then she shut her eyes and turned her back on him. "I don't want to fight about it now. The seriously important thing is to get more energy."  
>"Good thinking Anne," Alan agreed. "Let's select a new Cardian."<br>But although Alan and Anne didn't know it they were being spied upon. Peter was in hiding up a nearby cherry tree concealed amidst all the foliage and he had stealthily lowered a tiny but powerful microphone which was attached to a portable cassette recorder. He had studied and taught himself how to use this earth technology and he dematerialized as soon as they had nipped their argument in the bud. He hoped to capture more evidence of them fighting in this way and when he had a really huge chunk of their own incriminating words he would privately play it to Jenny and things would go from there unto the downfall of Alan and Anne.

At the moment the pair of them were naively preparing to launch the latest attack as Alan spread out the Cardians in his hands and said, "So Anne. Be sure to pick a good one."  
>As Anne gestured with her forefinger the Cardian she selected flew up in the air and Alan played his flute to bring it to life. A humanoid female figure appeared with blue skin, dark-blue hair, a purple kimono and her legs were intertwined with tree roots. "Racy. Go and collect all the energy you can for us," commanded Alan and Cardian Racy's eyes flashed luminously as she smiled and bowed to the two aliens.<p>

Miss Haruna and the Humphrey couple were sitting on the picnic blanket by themselves sharing a drink of fizzy lemonade from a bottle while the kids went for walks. Melvin and Molly were together by themselves while Serena and her friends went in another direction as a group. Molly was commenting on how lovely all the cherry blossoms looked when Melvin said, "But they pale next to you Molly. You're the loveliest girl in our entire city."  
>Molly blushed and said, "Melvin be quiet. I'm embarrassed when you talk this way to me."<br>"But Molly. I love you with all my heart. I'm speaking what you honestly mean to me."  
>Molly softened, then smiled and said, "That's all right. Just please don't say it so that others can potentially hear. Okay?"<br>Melvin was going to agree when suddenly three voices screamed in sheer horror making them jump and gasp.  
>"Melvin did you hear that?"<br>"I did Molly. It sounded like Mr. and Mrs. Humphreys and Miss Haruna. Let's go check on them."

When they arrived they saw to their dismay that the three adults were all sprawled in unconscious heaps. They could tell they were still alive but they needed help. "One of us must stay with them while the other runs for assistance Melvin."  
>Melvin was about to volunteer when suddenly the Cardian Racy appeared out of nowhere. At first the two children thought it was an ordinary person since Racy looked human enough. "Please," cried Melvin. "We need help."<br>Molly added, "These poor adults require urgent medical attention."  
>But Racy just raised her arms and Molly and Melvin found themselves struck with the same force that had siphoned off the adults energy and they screamed in turn before collapsing too.<p>

Though the others were far away from immediate earshot a familiar specter suddenly appeared to them to warn them of what had just happened. "Sailor Scouts," Nephlite urgently spoke quickly, "back at your picnic site your companions need to be seen to by a professional doctor, including Molly."  
>Luna and Artemis were on the ground and they took command hurriedly. "Let's all go and make sure they're okay," said Luna.<br>"Then we must come back to the area and investigate thoroughly," said Artemis.  
>They all thanked Nephlite as usual and between all of them they were able to get all their friends to the nearby first aid station in that nearby area of town.<br>The workers there who tended to the victims were very baffled by the nature of their condition. "Do you have any idea how this happened?" one of them asked but none of the girls had any idea.  
>As the other two workers placed them all in beds or couches one remarked, "Well they'll all pull through. Thankfully though the energy has been sucked out of them they seem to have only been lightly attacked by whatever it was."<br>"You say only lightly attacked?" asked Amy and the other girls and cats pricked up their ears.  
>Suddenly there was a loud knocking on the door and to the workers shock people barged in carrying their friends and relatives. There were no fatalities at all but they were weakened and couldn't stand up without falling down.<br>"We must send for ambulances to take them to hospital. But looking at them with our training we can say that whatever it was did not attack so harshly as to cause serious harm," one worker gave his expert opinion and the others concurred while one of them picked up a phone to request assistance.  
>"This is strange," remarked one of the others while their colleague was speaking on the phone. "At first you would assume it to be the same unknown disease or whatever it is that has been striking people down. But they were so dreadful that some victims were even killed. Why are these attacks so mild in comparison?"<br>That is a question Serena and her friends were asking themselves. Artemis and Luna needed to discuss this with the girls after they left the first-aid station.

Meanwhile Peter and Jenny sent a telepathic message to Alan and Anne. "The amounts of energy you are currently sending us are not strong enough. The tree is being contained but the latest Cardian you're using is siphoning off people's energy rather gently. We can get away with it this time, but we must come down heavy next time or the tree will eventually succeed in breaking free."  
>Alan and Anne were horrified and said they would look into the matter. As soon as Peter and Jenny had finished speaking to their minds and gone quiet, they summoned their Cardian to their side. "Racy tell us why you are not hitting victims hard for all the energy you can get. You are making only a light effort and we are not impressed," said Alan.<br>Racy looked conflicted and tormented in her face as she struggled with her obligation to obey and her worries. "But master. If I attack too severely I could end up killing some of them."  
>Anne cried in exasperation, "What the blue blazes? You care about these miserable creatures? Alan we need to take stronger control over this Cardian. We've already lost one. We can't lose another."<br>"You're right Anne." Alan put his flute to his lips and as he played his tune Racy placed her head in her hands and moaned and whimpered while the magic charm sought to bring her under absolute total submission to the demands of the aliens. Finally she raised her head with a glazed look in her eyes and spoke flatly, "I am yours to command."

Meanwhile as the victims were all carted off by ambulances as fast as possible, Luna and Artemis spoke to the girls as they departed the scene.  
>"This is very serious," said Artemis, "though it is curious that this time the attacks were rather mild. There may be different levels of loyalty among our current mysterious enemies."<br>Luna said, "All of you except Serena go back to the area where we found Molly and the others and search for clues while Artemis and I take Serena and explore the rest of the grounds."  
>They all agreed to this plan.<p>

So Mina, Raye, Lita and Amy all went to their designated spot. They had also agreed with Luna and Artemis not to transform into the Sailor Scouts until if or when an enemy tried to attack them. They wanted the advantage of surprise. So far the area seemed peaceful and innocent.  
>Lita remarked, "I don't see anything but trees."<br>Mina warned, "We could be suddenly attacked before we have time to blink. Let's all stay close together and watch our step."  
>No sooner had these words left her mouth then Raye suddenly sensed a presence through her psychic powers. "I feel an unknown force nearby," she slowly spoke then turned her head to see the Cardian Racy materialize just a few feet away from them all. "Look! Over there!"<br>They all turned and seeing the Cardian reacted instinctively.  
>"MERCURY POWER!"<br>"MARS POWER!"  
>"JUPITER POWER!"<br>"VENUS POWER!"  
>Unfortunately even as they began their transformation Racy hit them for all she had. They were all frozen in place while their clothes changed into their Sailor uniforms and they felt their energy begin to disappear. But at the same time Alan and Anne, who had been observing their Cardian's behaviour psychically, had been alerted to the situation upon hearing them shout out their various planet powers and as they materialized Alan cried, "Racy! Wait a minute! Keep these four girls restrained, but drain all their energy very, very slowly until they eventually die."<br>Racy said, "But I thought you wanted me to kill victims really fast master?"  
>"In the case of these I think we can make an exception," Alan explained. "They are our arch-enemies. They should die but not too easily. A lingering, uncomfortable death will be worthwhile for them and we will still be able to stay in control of the tree. Don't you agree Anne?"<br>Anne was as sadistic as Alan and she did most heartily agree. "Good thinking Alan. Watching them die is going to be heavenly bliss. It's just a pity Sailor Moon isn't with them, but we'll get her next time."  
>As Alan and Anne laughed Racy was troubled for a moment. It had felt so morally wrong to kill earlier, but Alan's flute music had placed a strong enchantment over the Cardian. The magic won out over whatever small traces of conflicting emotions remained within Racy. She raised her arms and concentrated upon slowly draining the Sailor Scouts to death while they struggled in utter helplessness.<p>

It was about now that Nephlite's spirit appeared to Serena, Luna and Artemis once more. Serena shrieked in surprise. "Isn't there some way you can let me know when you're coming without startling me?"  
>Nephlite completely ignored her indignant question however and said, "You must hurry. The other Sailor Scouts have been captured. They are being drained of all their energy. You have to help them."<br>Even Serena forgot about how annoyed she had been when she heard this. "Oh no! My friends!"  
>Luna took command of the situation. "We must go now. Nephlite lead the way."<br>"Follow me!" Nephlite glided along with his ghostly feet a couple of inches off the ground. Even as they began to run after him Artemis cried out for Serena to transform and she did. "MOON PRISM POWER!"  
>So it was Sailor Moon who beheld her friends trapped and slowly growing critically weak as Nephlite guided her and the two cats to the scene. Nephlite turned invisible before Alan, Anne or even Racy could notice him and before they even saw Sailor Moon Luna had shouted at her to use her tiara against the monster. Sailor Moon did not hesitate. "MOON TIARA MAGIC!"<br>Alan and Anne did double takes in consternation not knowing what would happen this time. But as the tiara approached Racy it began to stop spinning and Racy easily brushed it aside with her arm.  
>"Oh no. It failed me again," Sailor Moon despairingly exclaimed and Artemis and Luna couldn't believe it.<br>Alan laughed in triumph and ordered Racy, "Kill that one with your bare hands. The others will slowly die having beheld the death of their leader."  
>Racy proceeded to run at Sailor Moon while her friends cried out in dismay, powerless to help themselves, let alone her. Sailor Moon began to panic and her clothes even started to change back as Racy grabbed her shoulders. Alan and Anne couldn't see her changing back into Serena for Racy towered over her concealing her from their sight. Artemis and Luna vainly ran forward as if to help though there was little they could do. But all of a sudden they had disappeared along with Serena. Racy was astounded to find herself clutching only the air itself and cried out turning around, "My masters. She's gone."<br>The alien couple were perplexed about this. Alan said, "It's all right Racy. Keep depleting the life forces of these four but keep an eye out for the fifth one with us."  
>Anne asked, "Do you suppose she's hiding Alan? Planning to spring a surprise attack?"<br>"I don't know Anne. But even so if her tiara won't work there surely can't be anything much else she can attempt to do to fight against us?"  
>All this time the other Sailor Scouts were very distressed for Sailor Moon, Artemis and Luna. They had no idea why they suddenly vanished and that wasn't a good sign. Their hope of survival appeared to be highly improbable.<p>

Meanwhile Serena, Luna and Artemis found themselves suddenly in a familiar setting. "This looks like the ruins of the Moon Kingdom where my original parents revealed themselves to us all and also our long lost past," Serena cried.  
>Then familiar voices rang out.<br>"That's because it is Princess Serena."  
>"Lovely to see you again our dear daughter."<br>Serena and the cats were stunned with awed reverence as the ghosts of Queen Serenity and King Lune-Eclipsus appeared regally before their eyes with Nephlite by their side.  
>Nephlite grimaced, "This was such a beautiful kingdom. I deeply regret the part I had to play in its destruction."<br>Lune-Eclipsus placed a consoling transparent hand on his transparent shoulder. "What's done is done Nephlite. But don't dwell morosely upon it. You have redeemed yourself already through your heroic actions before and after your death."  
>Nephlite reached up and touched the king's hand where it rested upon his shoulder. "Thank you your majesty."<br>Queen Serenity came to business addressing Serena, who had suddenly found herself in princess attire, "Serena your tiara and your locket have lost their powers."  
>"How could this have happened mother?" asked Serena but it was her father who answered.<br>"This happened because you've been pining and fretting over your lost love Darien all the time. Not that that was a bad act on your part," he quickly added seeing Serena's shocked face, "but eventually it sapped your connection to the magic spells. Your heart was no longer fully into the commitment of being Sailor Moon and fighting evil. Subconsciously you were still worrying about Darien even when concentrating on battles. Consequently your tiara first began to lose its magic touch and finally your locket did also. So you changed back to normal while we helped Nephlite to rescue you and transport you to us along with Artemis and Luna."  
>"Oh dear," moaned Serena. "How can I save my friends now?"<br>Serenity said compassionately, "Don't worry. We can renew your magic powers. With the aid of something you lost back in your fight against Queen Beryl."  
>As soon as she had spoken, not one but two things Serena had lost after taking on Queen Beryl appeared floating in mid-air. One was the musical star-locket that she and Darien had shared mutually. Her heart panged remembering that that had been symbolic of their shared love. But as it opened by itself and began to play its music, she and the cats beheld another familiar object hovering above it.<br>"It's the Silver Imperium Crystal," Serena gasped.  
>As it fused itself into the locket's interior Lune-Eclipsus said, "You lost the Crescent Moon Wand on which it used to be set but we have retrieved the crystal itself and now its magical qualities to help you transform will reside in your star-locket the way it used to within your former ordinary locket that Luna first gave you."<br>Serena took the locket in her hand and held it tightly but her father continued to speak. "As for your tiara it will also be renewed but even more powerful than before. This time when you take it off your forehead it shall transform into a powerful scepter which when pointed at an enemy will produce a beam of immense destructive power. Even stronger than when it just formed a whirling disc of dangerous force."  
>Serenity said, "Nephlite. Will you take them back now? Her friends' lives depend upon her."<br>Serena said, "Wait a minute. What about Darien's memories? Can't you restore them like you restored mine and my friends?"  
>Serenity and Lune-Eclipsus looked at her sympathetically and said, "Dear Princess Serena. You will be the one to restore his memories." This was her mother who spoke first.<br>Serena's eyes bulged. "M-me? How?"  
>Her father answered, "If you fight valiantly you will eventually gain enough power within yourself to restore him to you once more."<br>Serenity added, "Just like you first restored him from the bondage of Beryl, so you will this time also."  
>Serena brightened up at this and thanked her beloved parents for everything. Lune-Eclipsus told Luna and Artemis to be sure to keep watching over her and they saluted him and his queen pledging their continued devotion to their duty.<br>Serenity said finally, "Now whenever you want to transform open the locket and while its music plays say "Moon Crystal Power."  
>Serena did as she was told. "MOON CRYSTAL POWER!" and she was once again Sailor Moon. Then without wasting any time Nephlite transported her back to her friends with Luna and Artemis.<p>

The other Sailor Scouts were beginning to grow dangerously weak. They were practically unconscious, slumped to the ground under Racy's power. But as Sailor Moon loudly announced her return while Nephlite faded invisible before the enemy could see him, Alan and Anne shouted to Racy. "She's back!"  
>"Get her before she tries another trick!"<br>Racy's humanoid face strangely transformed into a different face resembling a hissing feral cat and her fingers changed into long tree branches with very sharp tips. Even though Sailor Moon had removed her tiara and it had indeed changed into a unique-looking scepter before she had a chance to use it Racy came running up towards her, slashing at her with her tree-like fingers. With a frantic cry Sailor Moon ran to the side as Racy's swing only just missed her. As soon as she had dodged she found herself having to run for her very life. Racy was very fast and relentless in pursuit and her terrible talons threatened to tear and maul Sailor Moon as she desperately struggled to stay clear of them. "Help! Help me Luna! Artemis!" she yelled and moaned despairingly. But neither Artemis nor Luna knew what to do to save her from this deadly threat. And all the time her friends were getting closer and closer to death themselves.  
>Finally Sailor Moon stumbled while she was running, dropping her scepter which changed back into her tiara and falling painfully against the trunk of a big tree. Dazed and shaking her head she just barely registered another swing from Racy's branch-like arms in time to quickly throw herself to the ground. Racy's talons tore a huge chunk out of the tree trunk where Sailor Moon's head had been only seconds ago.<br>Luna cried out, "Sailor Moon! Get up and attack!"  
>Sailor Moon's tiara was only just within reach of her where she lay sprawled out but she whimpered, "I don't know if I'll be able to counter-attack before I'm clawed to ribbons."<br>Even as she desperately grasped her tiara with her fingers out of the corner of her eye she saw the Cardian about to pounce on her just like a lion does its prey.  
>"This is it," cried Anne gleefully, her hands clasped together.<br>"You're finished Sailor Moon," Alan laughed sadistically and Sailor Moon screamed as she turned around to behold her death face on.

As she shut her eyes and hopelessly raised her arms over her head salvation proverbially came in the form of a white rose flying through the air and hitting Racy in the face. Sailor Moon opened her eyes to behold the Moonlight Knight standing in the nearby cherry treetops from which he had launched his projectile. He hadn't thrown the sharp tip in the Cardian's face however. He had thrown it in reverse so that the petals had merely struck Racy stunning her and preventing the fatal attack.  
>As usual there was sorrow in the Knight's voice. "I'm sorry Racy." But still he immediately raised his tone and urgently shouted, "Sailor Moon! Do what you must do right now!"<br>As Racy was recovering and preparing to attack anew Sailor Moon concentrated hard and her tiara became the scepter once more. Waving it around and finally aiming it point-blank at the Cardian she cried out, "MOON SCEPTER ELIMINATION!" and a blast of powerful energy erupted from the tip and hit Racy causing her to reduce to a smoldering card in seconds.  
>Alan and Anne were shocked but then they began to be rather fearful as Sailor Moon turned her attention upon them. "Let's see what kind of effect my new power will have upon you. MOON SCEPTER,"<br>But before she could fire at the two alien invaders, the Moonlight Knight jumped down from the top of the tree and firmly but gently grabbed the scepter, not taking it from her hands but restraining her attack. "No Sailor Moon. Don't kill them."  
>Even Luna and Artemis were amazed. They had immediately run to the other Sailor Scouts as soon as the energy-sucking force had been lifted from them at the defeat of the Cardian. They turned their heads from where the girls all lay unconscious and seriously starved of energy, but alive. As they watched and listened to the scenario they didn't know what to make of it.<br>Sailor Moon exclaimed loudly, "What is this all about Moonlight Knight? You saved me but you're protecting those two from me now?"  
>"Sailor Moon. I am on your side but for now please let them collect up Racy's damaged card and leave. If they were to try anything now they know I would be able to protect you. They no longer have any power over me but for the sake of my dear friend Racy they must take that card back with them."<br>Sailor Moon didn't understand any of this but Alan and Anne confirmed his strange words.  
>"That is very true. My magic flute has become completely useless against you Moonlight Knight. But be warned. We are still trying to discover the secret to your absolute destruction. And we won't warn you when we do have it. Anne go and get our Cardian."<br>As Anne ran over and picked up Racy's black card she sneered maliciously at Sailor Moon and the Moonlight Knight. If the Knight was worried about what would happen if they learned how to destroy him, he did not show it staying calm and cool. Sailor Moon reluctantly lowered her scepter since he would not relinquish his restraint and it changed back into her tiara, which she replaced back on her forehead.  
>Anne said with disdain, "You needn't worry about Racy. We will restore her to her original condition, just like we have done to all the previous Cardians we've used. Not that we care about them, but they will prove to be indispensable in the future when we need them to fight our enemies on other planets we go on to conquer."<br>Sailor Moon, Luna and Artemis were all even more concerned to hear this. If these creatures couldn't be fully destroyed what would this mean for them later on in their battles?

Without saying another word Alan and Anne dematerialized scowling. The Moonlight Knight also vanished with another one of his enormous, bounding leaps after saying to Sailor Moon, "You must trust me Sailor Moon. I will be watching out for you and I will help you. Eventually we will defeat those enemies and free my friends from their bondage. Goodbye now."  
>Even as Sailor Moon tried to protest, "Wait a minute! Who are you and what exactly," he was gone even before she had made it this far with her words. Her voice trailed slowly to silence as she gazed off in the direction he had soared away in.<br>But then Luna called to get her attention, "Sailor Moon!'  
>She turned at the sound and Artemis replied, "The girls are beginning to wake up."<br>Sailors Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Venus were groaning and struggling to just sit up for now. Sailor Moon forgot all about the Moonlight Knight and ran over cradling the head and shoulders of the nearest one, Sailor Mercury. "Sailor Mercury. It's okay. I saved you. All of you."  
>Because of their incredible strength as Sailor Scouts their energy was beginning to recover, whereas ordinary people would have needed urgent medical attention and Sailor Mercury looked into Sailor Moon's face and smiled. "You're a true friend Sailor Moon."<br>Venus, Jupiter and Mars all smiled and agreed. "Yeah thanks."  
>"Agreed."<br>"You are a friend indeed."  
>Luna and Artemis were so very proud and happy. It looked like Sailor Moon may finally get her act together with confidence. Unfortunately Sailor Mars had to display one of her old faults suddenly. Folding her arms and looking a little disgruntled where she sat she said, "All the same you could have saved us a little sooner. If you'd left it too much later we'd have all been dead. What took you so long anyway?"<br>Sailor Moon jumped up in a rage and Sailor Mercury, who had been relaxing in her arms, wasn't prepared to be suddenly released and feel down backwards landing on top of Artemis.  
>Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars were both on their feet arguing. "You are so very ungrateful Mars. If you only knew exactly what I've been through."<br>"Whatever you were going through couldn't have been anywhere near as bad as what we were experiencing you Meatball-Head."  
>Then they began blowing raspberries at each other while Sailor Mercury was nursing poor Artemis and the others were bowing their heads and sighing.<br>Luna groaned, "Why is it that for every step forward with those two we have to slip two steps backward?"  
>At the end of the raspberries the two bickering Sailor Scouts turned and stood back to back in a huff. But as Sailor Moon took a glance up at the full moon she saw the smiling figures of Serenity, Lune-Eclipsus and Nephlite floating up above in front of it. The light from the moon illuminated their ghostly images and she smiled back up at them. She thanked them in her mind and she could hear them as they wished her a fond goodbye. "Thank you my dearest moon parents. And thank you too Nephlite. I am so happy to have saved my friends with your help. Even such a pain in the neck like Sailor Mars."<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Artemis sighed to himself as he was racing along at Mina's heels that morning. Mina had been woken up by her irate mother as she barged into her bedroom. "MINA!" she had bellowed making both her and Artemis jump out of the bed they were curled up in. As Artemis sprang off the end of the bed and onto the floor he only just barely missed getting trapped by the covers as Mina threw them off herself in her fright.  
>Mina's mother had continued shouting, "Look at the time! You only have half an hour to get to school and you have a maths test first thing this morning! You'd better start setting that alarm clock! Your father and I bought you it for a reason!"<br>Mina had gone ballistic, hurriedly changing into her school clothes, bolting down toast and jam, making sure she had all her things for school in her bag and running out the door.

While they were running Mina moaned, "Artemis. Why didn't you wake me up?"  
>"Hey! I was enjoying a welcome catnap. It's not my fault you forgot the alarm clock." Artemis rightfully defended himself against her accusations and thought quietly that Mina was beginning to pick up some of Serena's bad habits.<br>Fortunately Mina was too worried and desperate to reach school in time to stop and try to argue. She huffed and puffed as she ran for all she was worth gasping, "If I run hard I may just make it."  
>But as she and Artemis rounded a corner something made her pull up to a sudden halt.<p>

A little Kindergarten-age girl was being bullied by two slightly bigger boys. They were threatening her, standing over her with her back pressed up against a brick wall and she was clutching her arms to her chest and crying. "Leave me alone," she sobbed loudly and Mina heard her and beheld the scene.  
>"Hey," she roared furiously. "What do you two creeps think you're doing?"<br>Turning around nervously the smaller of the boys said, "Yikes! Looks like we'd better be getting out of here."  
>His companion agreed. They were both frightened to see a huge fifteen year old like Mina shaking her fist and glaring menacingly at them. In a flash they were both gone and the little girl dried her eyes as Mina asked if she was all right.<br>She smiled up into Mina's face and said, "I'm okay. Thanks. Those boys were trying to force me to give them my lunch out of my bag."  
>"What lousy maggots," Mina exclaimed. But then the little girl asked her a special favour.<br>"Can you help me please? I'm so very late I'm afraid I may miss my school bus."  
>"Oh well. Truth is I'm very late myself," Mina began to say but the girl began to wail.<br>"Please! Please! I'll never make it on my own!"  
>Mina picked her up in her arms and said, "Emotional blackmail. It works every time."<br>With that she ran off in the direction of the Kindergarten school bus stop with Artemis in pursuit.  
>Puffing and panting she arrived just as the bus pulled up and the little girl thanked her once more, hopped on board and waved goodbye as the vehicle pulled away. Waving back Mina said, "Well at least one of us is going to be on time."<br>Artemis said, "I'll say. Now you'd better really run for all you're worth."

Mina did just that. As she and Artemis were running they passed Serena running late to her own school. "Hi Serena," she panted.  
>"Oh, hi Mina. Did you have trouble with your alarm clock too?" Serena asked as they ran side by side.<br>Mina laughed and replied, "Yeah. I think we probably need to take them in to the repair shop."  
>Artemis thought to himself as he was running, "It's not the clocks that need repairing. But they would never face up to that fact."<br>Then Serena and Mina said goodbye as they reached the corner that led to Mina's own school. Mina and Artemis turned while Serena kept on straight ahead. Mina tried as hard as she could, but the bell already rang before she reached the gates. She groaned. "I'll be in big trouble for missing the start of my big Maths test as well as for being generally late."  
>Artemis found it very hard to sympathize with her. "The kid did try hard," he thought, "but if she'd remembered to set the alarm in the first place she would have been on time of course."<p>

Serena had also failed to make it on time and Miss Haruna had chewed her up and spat her out. "SERENA! AS LONG AS YOU INSIST ON COMING LATE I SHALL DEAL STRICTLY WITH YOU! FROM NOW ON EVERY DAY YOU ARRIVE LATE YOU SHALL SPEND DETENTION WITH ME FOR THREE QUARTERS OF YOUR LUNCH RECESS! SO YOU'D BETTER NOT WASTE TIME EATING BECAUSE I WON'T ALLOW YOU TO BRING YOUR LUNCH TO DETENTION WITH YOU!"  
>Serena had felt like her eardrums were going to burst and most of her classmates, especially Melvin and Molly, were silently sympathetic in spite of her own silly fault. But as far as the wicked Anne was concerned Miss Haruna's rantings were like music to her ears, not so much because she reveled in Serena's situation, but because she felt all that anger energy would be perfect if they could one day find a way to capture her and drain her to a withered husk. Anne couldn't care how many lives it took to keep their hold on the tree, anymore than any of the other aliens. She made a note to herself. "Must sacrifice this woman somehow one day. Heh heh heh."<p>

Later during the morning tea recess while Serena was moping and feeling sorry for herself, Alan decided to cheer her up. "Hello Serena," he said as he walked up to her. "You know there's something liltingly lovely about you when you look so sad. But I'd like to make you feel better so you'll be even lovelier."  
>Serena gave a little smile as she said, "Hi Alan. What do you want?"<br>Alan shut his eyes and grinned, "I just told you. I want you to be happy. I want to hear you say the three little words that will make my heart go all a-flutter and then I'll say them back to you and,"  
>Alan was cut off as Anne walked up from behind him feeling angry and resentful once more. "I'll give you three little words Alan. Four even. Jump off a balcony." Alan gulped and turned around blushing to see Anne's ferocious face glaring at him.<br>"Oh uh. Hello Anne."  
>"Don't hello me Alan. What are you doing?"<br>Alan began to raise and lower his arms. "I'm just doing my morning stretching exercises." As he walked away flexing his arms he began to chant, "One and two and three and four. I'm tough. I'm strong. I'm ready. Come on."  
>While he disappeared Anne gave Serena a cold, stony look then followed him.<br>Serena used a handkerchief to wipe the cold sweat off her forehead and muttered, "They are some weird brother and sister indeed."

Outside Alan and Anne found a place where they could argue by themselves. That is they thought they were by themselves. They did not know Peter was covertly lying down flat on top of the roof of the covered shelter where they were sitting on the chairs in front of the table. Though even then they were not raising their voices in argument for fear of attracting any attention still Peter was discreetly holding the microphone over the edge so that it could pick up their words while he recorded them. He was very pleased with what he was capturing.  
>"So tell me Alan. Honestly what does Serena mean to you? What do you think you're doing?"<br>Alan smirked and said, "Would you believe it's all part of my strategy? I'm using Serena to establish a bridge in my scheme to get closer to the other students." There was a small amount of truth in this. Though Alan did genuinely care for Serena and didn't want any harm to come to her.  
>Anne scowled as she remarked, "Just don't get too close."<br>Alan couldn't resist bugging her in return. "How about when you were showing interest in that young man Darien, Anne? Can you honestly tell me there was any strategy of your own regarding that?"  
>Anne opened her mouth in annoyance, then calming herself she retaliated, "If you must know yes Alan, I thought that by getting to know Darien perhaps I may be able to get close to some of his friends."<br>"And why would you need to do that Anne? I mean, wouldn't you be better off getting to know somebody here at school so you could infiltrate the students like me? That would seem more to the point in our cover as students ourselves?"  
>Anne looked like she would have a fit but then she snapped, "Mind your own business Alan. I'll work my own way that I choose." Truth was Darien meant so very much to Anne. She wanted him to love her with all his heart just as much as Alan felt about Serena although they wouldn't admit to it.<br>Alan decided to cut things off by saying, "Okay Anne. Now we must get back to the important issue. Finding a new energy source to keep the tree under our control. And I have an idea. We'll tell the others about it when we're home after school today."  
>"Very well Alan," Anne agreed. She and he were both rather confused as well because they really did love each other even when they fought over their crushes.<br>As for Peter he dematerialized taking the cassette recorder and the microphone with him. He thought, "I'll bide my time for now. We do need to get energy for the tree soon or it will be over for us all. Maybe Alan's plan will work then I can share this evidence with Jenny." Alan and Anne had no idea of the threat they had brought upon themselves in this matter.

Later that day when they returned to the apartment they held a meeting gathered around the struggling tree. Alan addressed everybody, "The tree is trying as hard as it can to break free. We need to do something quickly."  
>One of the female aliens asked, "Why don't we just destroy the tree Alan? Then we will no longer have its threat hanging over us."<br>"A good question Sally, but we can use the tree to our advantage for now."  
>"How so Alan?" Sally asked but it was Anne who took the initiative to answer.<br>"Get this all of you. That tree is very powerful indeed. You all know how when it was planted and grown on our planet everybody was amazed when it showed itself able to communicate with us telepathically and it showed our King how to create the Cardians having artists draw and paint them upon cards created from its bark and it infused them with magical life."  
>Alan took over holding up his flute. "We stole the King's magic flute and gained control over the Cardians and used them to take over subduing the tree with the energy of our own people at the sacrifice of many of their lives. To date only one Cardian has broken free of our power and we are trying to discover the secret to the only way Cardians can be completely destroyed."<br>"Is that the reason why we are keeping the tree alive Alan?" asked a male named Max.  
>"That is part of it Max," Alan said. "The tree is stubbornly holding that information back. But there's more. Would you like to tell them Anne?"<br>Anne said, "My pleasure Alan. We intend to harness the tree's power for our very own. If we can gain enough of a hold over it combined with the magic powers of the flute we hope to permanently brainwash the tree just like we brainwashed its children so to speak."  
>Everybody gasped and Sally spoke again. "Do you really think you can control it? If at least one Cardian overcame the brainwashing it sounds like a big risk to take."<br>"Point taken Sally," admitted Anne. "But Alan and I are being very careful. If even after repeated attempts at full control the tree shows no signs of yielding or if there are any indications that it might rebel we will make sure that it is burned to ashes with magic fire before it can destroy us. If we can possibly make it our slave like the Cardians though it will be to our advantage."  
>"Sounds promisingly awesome Anne. But for now you and Alan had better have a plan to gather more energy to keep the tree in check," said Peter.<br>"Alan does have a plan Peter," said Anne. "He will explain it to you all."  
>Alan grinned and announced, "Indeed we need fresh, young, exuberant energy. And we will find it in human children. The earth kids who are very, very small and young will be perfect. I propose that we start attacking the school buses that take them home from their Kindergarten sessions. We will easily drain them all up. Their fresh, young life forces will be placed upon the sacrificial altar of our rise to glory."<br>Loud cheers erupted but the poor tree winced as it heard this. It was terrible that so many lives had been taken already on this planet and the planet it had come from. But to think of heaps of innocent children being mass-killed just like that was horrible. It sent out a desperate telepathic message to the Moonlight Knight. This wicked scheme needed to be nipped in the bud before it could be carried out.

That evening Luna and Artemis held an emergency meeting of the Sailor Scouts at the Cherry Hill Temple. After they had all very carefully sneaked out of their bedrooms and met up at the Temple where Raye quietly let them in and led them up to her room with her heaviest charms placed upon Grandfather and Chad in case they awoke Luna told Serena to explain the reason for this gathering. "Well you see," she began, "Luna and I were just about to get ready for bed when there was a tapping outside our window and we looked up to see the Moonlight Knight."  
>The other four were very curious. They had been wondering all about this Moonlight Knight ever since they'd first seen him at the Virtual Reality Arcade. After Serena had explained what had happened between him and the aliens on Cherry Blossom Time Day as soon as Raye had stopped fighting with her their wonderment had reached peak level. "What did he say to you?" asked Mina.<br>"He told me he knew that those aliens are making a diabolical scheme to attack a bus full of Kindergarten children on their way home tomorrow afternoon."  
>The girls and Artemis all gasped in sheer horror. Raye cried, "That's the lowest thing they could do. To attack innocent little kids."<br>Lita growled in fury. "I'd like to bash every single one of those aliens' faces in!"  
>Amy asked, "Did he tell you where exactly they'll strike?"<br>Luna answered this question. "Yes. He told Serena that they will hit the Kindy on the south side as its bus is on the road making its rounds."  
>Serena added, "As usual he wouldn't say anything else. Didn't tell me how he knew. Just said that he would be there to back us up and turned disappearing into the night."<br>Mina said, "Well whatever he is, we have no choice but to believe him. He seems to be really good despite his mysterious connections to our enemies that you've told us about Serena."  
>Luna said, "Well then I suggest that as soon as school is over tomorrow we all make our way to the Kindy over south and prepare to watch over those poor kids."<br>Artemis slammed his paw down and said, "We can't let any of them die. Let's all go to our homes and get a good night's sleep. We'll need to be well rested and alert."  
>All unanimously agreed so they all said "Good night," and split up. But Serena was very worried as she went to sleep and so was Mina. She had a nagging suspicion that the little girl she had helped get to her bus stop had been going to the south end of the city. She was almost certain the bus had been marked South Kindy Bus on the front and side. She especially couldn't bear the thought of that sweet little munchkin she had met being attacked and most likely killed by these dreadful aliens.<p>

The following day things went normal as usual. For Serena especially. Mina had learned her lesson and didn't want to get in more trouble for being late to her school again and had set her alarm to both her parents' and Artemis' mutual admiration. But hopeless Serena was late again and had to spend most of her lunch break with Miss Haruna like yesterday. She was all gloomy and stubbornly trying to justify herself, but Luna thought she was such a fool as she always was.

But later when everybody went home, Serena and Luna met the others and they all went to the South End Kindergarten. They arrived about ten minutes before the bus arrived and observed things from just outside the gate. As the bus appeared and the teacher was directing them all to get on Luna said, "Serena you must get on board that bus and protect the children."  
>"But how Luna?" Serena asked. "I'm sure they don't just allow complete strangers to hitch rides."<br>"Well that's where that magic disguise pen comes into play," replied Luna.  
>"Aw. Why does it always have to be me?" Serena pouted.<br>"For goodness sake Serena," groaned Luna.  
>"You are our leader after all," Amy reminded her and the others all concurred nodding their heads.<br>"Oh very well," Serena grumbled. "I just hope I don't get myself slimed by any of those sleaze-ball aliens.  
>"Serena!" Everybody said this in unison admonishingly and Artemis added, "Just hurry up and do it."<br>"Okay already. Disguise power. Change me into a really cool-looking Kindergarten teacher."  
>Serena was transformed thusly and as the bus pulled away with the kids and their teacher on board she made her move. Hailing the bus to stop she ran up crying, "Driver. Stop the bus. I'm the new substitute teacher. Sorry I'm late. Can I get a ride please?"<br>The teacher was confused at first as she stared at Serena. "New substitute? I haven't heard," she began to say, but Raye quickly concentrated hard with her psychic mind-control and the woman softened and said with a smile, "Ah yes. Of course. The substitute. Get on board and sit up front with me."  
>The driver opened the door and Serena quickly climbed inside. But Mina's heart skipped a beat. The little girl she had met was on the bus too and she noticed calling out, "Yoo-hoo!" and waving merrily. Mina waved back but when the bus pulled away she said desperately to Luna, Artemis and the others, "I know that dear little girl. Oh please may I follow that bus? I want to help Sailor Moon protect her and the others if they're attacked."<br>Seeing how deeply earnest Mina was, Artemis backed her up. "Mina loves that kid very much. I was there when she saved her from some bullies. Please if it's okay let her go in my company."  
>Luna said, "Very well then Artemis. The rest of us will be on hand if you need help. Be sure to call us on your communicator and we will come as fast as we can to join you."<br>Amy said, "Here. You can borrow my data computer. It's programmed to trace the direction that bus is taking."  
>Mina took it saying, "Thank you Amy and Luna."<br>With that Mina transformed and Artemis joined Sailor Venus as they went racing off after the bus staying just behind it out of sight but near on hand if or when the aliens made their intended move.

As the bus drove inside a tunnel bridge the driver suddenly pointed and cried, "I can see something up ahead." Serena and the teacher followed the direction of his pointed finger and gasped at the sight they beheld.  
>There were two figures in the middle of the road. One of them was one of Alan and Anne's fellow alien invaders and the other was a six foot tall male-looking humanoid with pointed ears, golden skin, blue wings, red eyes and dressed in a Grecian tunic with a gold belt and bright-blue boots. The alien was the female named Sally who had spoken up during the discussion regarding why they needed to keep the tree alive the other day and she commanded the humanoid, "Cardian Vulturos. Go and drain everybody on that bus of their precious energy."<br>The children were laughing and singing unaware of what was about to happen as the driver put his foot down on the brake pulling up to a stop a mere split second before Vulturos launched himself through the windshield shattering it and seizing him. While all the kids screamed and shouted and the teacher fainted the Cardian simultaneously strangled the driver while taking all his energy in seconds. Back at the apartment the poor tree shuddered as usual in response to a victim's death.  
>Serena, still in her disguise, desperately charged with outstretched arms, pushing the Cardian backwards out through the hole he had made. She jumped out determined to protect the kids but Vulturos had already recovered and swinging his arm struck her in the face knocking her onto her back. As she struggled to rise she beheld the Cardian about to pounce upon her and she screamed.<br>Suddenly, "VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!" Sailor Venus' golden beam attack hit Vulturos in the chest pushing him away from Serena onto his own back, to the dismay of Sally.  
>Sitting up and turning her head Serena cried, "Sailor Venus and Artemis! You're both here!"<br>As they ran up Sailor Venus yelled at Serena to transform and she did. "MOON CRYSTAL POWER!"  
>The kids watched wide-eyed as the new substitute teacher turned into Sailor Moon. Mina's little friend shouted, "Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus are here. They will surely save us."<br>Sally screamed in rage. "Vulturos! Get up and use your tornado attack!"  
>The Cardian rose to his feet and bellowing angrily summoned up miniature tornado-like swirling winds to sweep Sailor Moon off her feet. Sailor Venus tried another Crescent Beam attack but Vulturos deflected it this time and swept her off her feet also.<br>The children cried out to the two Sailor Scouts to get up and fight. They tried to stand their ground but this was a very strong enemy. Even Artemis was getting worried. Vulturos extended long sharp claws and began to attack with a loud war cry when a familiar white rose flew across his path and stuck in the ground at his feet distracting him. All eyes turned to behold the Moonlight Knight standing on the roof of the bus holding another white rose. He spoke, "Even in the darkest tunnel there is light at the end of it. It's inside you. Just believe in it and you'll find it."  
>Sailor Venus was amazed. "Believe in ourselves? Is that what you mean?"<br>The Moonlight Knight said, "Exactly Venus. There are plenty of others who already believe in you. You should too." With a downwards sweep of his arm, rose still in hand he indicated all the children who were shouting, "Sailor Moon! Sailor Venus! We believe in you! Please believe in yourselves!"  
>Sally shouted, "Vulturos! Never mind that back-stabbing Moonlight Knight! Get their energy first and then the energy of all those brats!"<br>Obediently Vulturos took one step crushing the rose in his path.  
>But Sailor Venus made a determined facial expression and concentrating hard she brought forth a brand new power bursting from the tip of her pointer finger. Aiming at the Cardian she shouted with all her might, "VENUS SHOWER!" Particles of her energy shot up and sprinkled down upon Vulturos like raindrops. But as they surrounded him he blazed like he was caught in a super electrical charge. With an ear-splitting cry of agony that lasted barely ten seconds he was gone, leaving his blank card.<br>"Pretty neat new trick, don't you think?" said Sailor Venus.

The children were all cheering as Sailor Moon said, "How did you do that?"  
>Sailor Venus replied, "I wanted to save these kids so much and therefore I followed the advice of them and the Moonlight Knight. I see that believing in yourself is the strongest power of all."<br>Sailor Moon had removed her tiara and turned it into the scepter just before Venus struck with her brand new attack not suspecting she would not need to use it against the Cardian and for a second she looked angrily at the fearful Sally. But turning to look at the Moonlight Knight she knew what the expression in his eyes meant and so she said to the trembling alien, "We have a somewhat reluctant truce at this time that I don't fully understand. But as long as you don't try anything funny you can pick up that card and leave in peace. Please co-operate with me in this Sailor Venus."  
>Sailor Venus was confused too. But she knew what Sailor Moon had already told her and the others and the Moonlight Knight said, "Yes that's right. Thank you both. Vulturos is really a very charming fellow. If he were in control of himself you'd see what I mean."<br>Sally was very eager to get out of there and she knew she'd better retrieve the Cardian. So she walked over as quick as she could with her hands raised, bent down and dematerialized with Vulturos.  
>The Moonlight Knight said, "Farewell for now Sailor Scouts. You'd better call for help. That woman will need medical attention and those kids will need counseling once they realize the driver is dead."<br>They realized this was true and as he jumped down and ran away through the tunnel the pair of them proceeded to give the necessary assistance. It was sad they couldn't save that poor man, but at least the children and their teacher were still all alive.  
>They, and Artemis couldn't help but wonder what other terrible things were destined to happen before they could finally bring these barbaric invaders to justice.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

There was much consternation at the alien's hide-out when Sally had returned with Vulturos' card. While it was placed in the usual renewal process Alan and Anne spoke to Sally in front of all the others.  
>"You say two of the Sailor Scouts were there ready to surprise you with their own attack?"<br>Sally was very upset and was almost hyperventilating as she answered, "Yes it's the truth Alan. I never had a chance to gather any of the children's energy. Then while our Cardian was fighting them the Moonlight Knight appeared and with his encouragement one of them neutralized Vulturos with a sudden massive power attack. I must be honest and say I was scared it would be all over for me. But they let me return safely."  
>Anne looked at the tree where it lay and asked, "Alan. Do you suppose it sent a message to the Moonlight Knight warning him of our plan?"<br>Alan considered this carefully. "That may be right Anne. Fortunately the life energy of the bus driver is still holding it in check. But if it can still communicate with our enemy then let's go outside with Peter and Jenny to discuss our next move away from it."  
>As they left the bedroom Sally and all the others stood gazing at the tree on the bed with various amounts of trepidation.<p>

Out in the main living quarters of the apartment when the door was firmly shut Alan turned to the other three. "Okay. Now that the tree can't hear us we need to make our move again," he began to say, "but not the exact same plan. The Sailor Scouts and the Moonlight Knight will be keeping a very close watch over all three of the Kindergarten Centers in the city between them all. But there is an alternative source of fresh young energy we can attack."  
>"And what is that Alan?" asked Jenny.<br>"We can target the places where humans send their babies to be minded when they have things they require to do that gives them no time to look after them themselves." Alan's eyes glinted malevolently. "Just think of it. So many babies, so full of energy that they have no idea what they should do with it. All ours for the taking."  
>"Perfect Alan!" Anne gloated, rubbing her hands. "All the energy we need with no fuss."<br>Jenny and even Peter were also very impressed with this plan and Alan pulled out his deck of cards.  
>"So my dear Anne. Pick us the Cardian that we will use to extract the juice out of those tiny babes."<br>Anne complied and when Alan saw the picture of a beautiful humanoid woman with light-blue skin and long blue hair on the card he laughed uproariously. "What irony that you picked this Cardian. She was always well renowned on our planet for her deep fondness for babies. The irony is so hilariously fitting."  
>The four of them laughed together and Alan took the Cardian and the magic flute in his hands saying, "Anne and I will handle this mission. We will summon Cardian Skulker to action and set her to her task. Peter. Jenny. You two watch over things while we're away."<br>They both solemnly promised but as soon as they were gone Peter, feeling confident that they would triumphantly collect the vital energy, felt that this would be the opportune time to confide in Jenny first.  
>"Excuse me Jenny," he said to her. "While Alan and Anne are gone there's something I would like to talk to you about. I also have something recorded on the human audio equipment I've been studying that I think you should hear."<br>She was very curious and she raised her eyebrows while Peter smiled at her expression. "It's like this," he began.

While Peter was speaking with Jenny, two of the Sailor Scouts' former enemies were at one of the Day-Care Centers collecting their own personal charge. Titus and the Dream Dolly in their human forms were picking up the baby son of Jedite and Titus.  
>When Serena and Amy had met Jedite and Titus at the hospital after Lita and Ken had been attacked by Faraion the lion Cardian, they had explained that they were there for a pregnancy test. As it turned out the doctors were amazed to tell Tweetus, as Titus now officially called herself, that not only was she pregnant, but she seemed to be almost ready to give birth. What the hospital staff didn't know was that Tweetus and her husband Jed were extra-terrestrials whose body chemistry was vastly different from earth people. She didn't even bulge out like expectant mothers usually do and in only a week she was ready to give birth privately at home where the Dream Dolly, now known as Dorothy oversaw the delivery. Jordan, the new-born Youma baby boy was a complete humanoid like his daddy and he was exceptional for a Youma child. His special abilities included mental telepathy and he could communicate with his parents and his nanny in their minds with an expert grasp of the Earthlings' language very fast. Jed, Tweetus and Dorothy fully explained to him that they were a different species and he was not under any circumstances to let anybody know he was anything other than an ordinary baby. Jordan fully understood and was very faithfully obedient. The doctors had come to the conclusion that it must have been an exceptionally rare occurrence in which the mother must have already been pregnant for a long time, but just didn't look it. As some human mothers were known to have such an experience in appearance before birth they had gotten away with it to their relief and Jordan had wanted to be able to go to places like Day-Care and have fun. He was such a good, well-behaved baby that Jed, Tweetus and Dorothy had no worries about sending him to the centers knowing they could depend on him and when he was picked up each time he told them in their minds about everything he had done and everything he had learned.<p>

Anyway Tweetus picked Jordan up in her arms off the ground. "Hello my little man."  
>She looked into his eyes smiling and while he quietly said, "Hello Mummy," Dorothy spoke to one of the staff members.<br>"How was Jordan today?"  
>The woman was very pleased and smiled with a twinkle in her eyes behind her glasses. "Jordan is so adorable. We are all very fond of him."<br>"Great to hear that," said Dorothy.  
>"Thank you so much for taking good care of him," said Tweetus. "Wave goodbye Jordan. Time to go home now."<br>Jordan waved at the woman and said, "Ba-ba," meaning bye bye.  
>The woman waved back and said, "Bye-bye Jordan."<p>

Just as Tweetus and Dorothy exited the gate they ran into Serena and Amy. "Oh look. It's Tweetus and Dorothy," cried Serena.  
>"And they have little Jordan," Amy added.<br>Tweetus and Dorothy barely had time to say hello to the girls when suddenly the Cardian Skulker appeared in the sky above the Center along with Alan and Anne. Alan shouted, "Skulker! You see that building? We want you to infiltrate it and take all the energy of everybody you find inside there, especially the babies. Drain away all their life forces."  
>Skulker said, "I hear your command and I am at your service master."<br>Looking up the woman screamed in terror. "Aaaahh! The evil forces are here! We must try to protect the babies!" She ran back inside the building to alert the rest of the staff and attempt to get the babies to safety.  
>Serena was thinking of transforming but before she could say anything Tweetus had shoved her own baby into her arms. "Here Serena. You and Amy look after Jordan while Dorothy and I stop this attack."<br>Serena and Amy looked at Jordan with their mouths open and in that brief moment Tweetus and Dorothy had changed into their alter appearances and launched themselves up into the air intercepting the Cardian.  
>Tweetus launched a jet of water at Skulker who ducked only just in time. Alan and Anne were taken aback by these strange new opponents and while Alan shouted at Skulker to destroy them, Dorothy blew a gust of her disorientating breath at him and Anne. Consequently they forgot about the battle as they began to hug each other. The funny thing was Dorothy's power was making Alan think he was hugging and speaking sweetly to Serena and Anne in turn that she was hugging and saying sweet things to Darien.<br>But Skulker threw out some threads that caught Dorothy and began to drain her energy. As she grew weak her spell was broken and Alan and Anne were taken aback when they found themselves in each others' arms. They had both cried out in confusion.  
>"Darien?"<br>"Serena?"  
>Then they began glaring sternly as they broke away upon hearing the other say the name of the rival for their affections.<br>Meanwhile Tweetus used another water jet to break the strands and Dorothy fell unconscious towards the ground. Tweetus had no choice but to zoom underneath and catch her. But she was now vulnerable to Skulker's threads as they flew out anew and seized her and Dorothy.  
>"Oh no! We must help them," Serena cried as Jordan started to wail.<br>"You stay with Jordan Serena. I'll save them. MERCURY POWER!"  
>Amy quickly transformed while none of the enemy were even aware of Serena's presence, let alone hers. "MERCURY BUBBLES BLAST!"<br>Her bubble spray flew upwards as hard as she could cast it. Alan and Anne forgot their latest argument as the cold snap made their teeth chatter and they hugged again in response to share their bodily warmth. Skulker too was struck bad and shivering released Tweetus and Dorothy. As they fell unconscious to the ground, Jordan in Serena's arms raised his pointer finger and slowed them down to land in a gentle manner side by side. Then he made a gesture with his hand and they turned back into their human-like forms where they lay.  
>As for Alan, Anne and Skulker, Alan taking command yelled, "Cardian Skulker. Abandon mission. Retreat with us for now. We are unfamiliar with what we're up against."<br>Skulker obediently dematerialized as Sailor Mercury's bubbles faded. She had quickly changed back into Amy and she and Serena alerted the women who were inside the Day-Care Center to call for ambulances. Tweetus and Dorothy had both survived, but were severely weakened and would need to go to hospital.

As the ambulances were arriving Darien just so happened to come walking along. Even though he still had no memory of his past and still thought Serena was kind of weird, his natural compassionate nature won out as Amy begged him to allow her to take Jordan with her to his apartment and call Jed, while Serena went in one of the ambulances making sure Tweetus and Dorothy would have a friend to talk to for comfort if they woke up. Darien was pleased enough that the meatball-headed freak wasn't going to be with them, even though Serena's heart ached that he wouldn't even look at her, so he agreed and took Jordan in his arms as Amy spoke comfortingly to him, promising that his mother and nanny would be okay.  
>Serena rode in the front seat next to an ambulance officer. She was not only concerned about Tweetus, Dorothy and Darien, but very worried about what would happen if the aliens tried attacking little babies once again.<p>

Back at the alien's apartment Alan and Anne had reported back to Peter and Jenny in the main living area. "We don't know what those creatures were but they were certainly very powerful," said Alan.  
>"And we were momentarily overcome by them, until our latest Cardian began to drain their energy," chimed in Anne.<br>"Yes, the others reported to us that they could feel some kind of unusual energy being transferred through. It definitely wasn't anything known to be from this planet," said Peter. Earlier he had been telling Jenny about Alan and Anne's behaviour and had given her the audio cassette he'd recorded and the little player with a pair of headphones for her to listen closely to. Her eyes bulged in shock and disbelief while one of the other aliens had stuck his head out the bedroom door to call out and get their attention. Peter had stopped the machine and told her, "We have other matters to attend to Jenny. We'll talk more about this later."  
>She immediately understood and calmed herself as they re-entered the bedroom and heard all about what had just happened.<br>Peter explained to Alan and Anne, "I instructed everybody to inject a very tiny amount of this energy into the tree. It was just as well that I cautioned them to only use a small amount."  
>As Alan and Anne became wide-eyed and open-mouthed Jenny took up the account. "We were all frightened to note the tree grew stronger when it came in contact with this new unusual energy. It was only very small so we still are in control of it. But this was a shock to discover an energy source that reacts the opposite way with the tree."<br>It is true. Though these alien invaders had no knowledge about the Youma race there was something about the chemical make-up of their life energy that would not bind the tree to their control and it would only serve to increase its anger and power to destroy them.  
>Even Anne was brought down low at this news. "Well," she said. "Thank goodness we still have a chance to get some human energy."<br>Alan held up a card. Skulker was back in her picture form at the moment. "We will still use Cardian Skulker here to get some baby energy as soon as possible. But we need to be careful. I suggest Bert and Sally accompany us in case more of these kind of creatures and/or the Sailor Scouts cross our path."  
>Peter and Jenny were planning to expose Alan and Anne for their questionable behaviour captured on the audio footage of course. But first it was crucial that the matter of the tree be brought under full control. They agreed to let Bert and Sally know they would be required for the mission and Alan and Anne suspected nothing.<br>But what none of them knew was that the Youma energy, as little as it was, had enabled the tree to gain enough strength to sense telepathically what evil they were currently planning and it sent an urgent message to the Moonlight Knight. In fact though none of the aliens consciously thought about it, it was no accident that the Moonlight Knight had known where to show up to find the Sailor Scouts when they needed help ever since he first came on the scene. Even though the tree was struggling against its psychic bondage to the invaders will, it had managed to alert the Moonlight Knight as to what was going on. All the same this took tremendous concentration on the part of the tree to pinpoint the exact place at the time and it had only been able to nip the attack on the Kindergarten bus in the bud because they had been talking about it in its close proximity. But thankfully at the moment it was powerful enough to sense the new plan even when they were not in its actual presence. So it knew to tell the Moonlight Knight even that the Cardian known as Skulker was going to be used. The Moonlight Knight determined to save any and all babies from being killed and also to even save Skulker herself. It was going to be an extremely bad blow for the endeavours of the invaders.

Back at the hospital Dorothy and Tweetus were still in their comas. Serena stood sadly looking over them as they lay in their beds, one on her right, one on her left. The tubes connected them to the bags of liquid nutrients to sustain them. As long as they stayed unable to consciously eat or drink the hospital staff would keep checking to make sure things were going without any hitches and replace the vital bags. While Serena was wondering what had happened when they contacted Jed, Amy and Darien suddenly appeared. Darien was holding Jordan.  
>"Amy!" Serena cried. "Were you able to call Jed?"<br>"Bad news Serena," Amy said with her head bowed. "When we called the home phone number we received the message that Jed is currently out of town on a business trip with the company he works for. As long as Tweetus and Dorothy are incapacitated there's nobody to take care of Jordan."  
>Serena gasped and Jordan shuddered as he took this in.<br>Amy went on, "As you know they only moved here just a month ago and they hardly know anybody. Furthermore Jordan just won't do in a nursery. He's simply too restless in long term care." Of course Amy, Serena and the other three girls knew very well that the real reason Jordan couldn't be placed in the nursery or with anybody for a long period of time was the fear that somebody may chance to notice something odd about him. Even though Jordan was very careful all the time there was the risk he could make a mistake.  
>Amy went on to say, "It looks like we may have to take turns looking after him between us, if it will be all right with our families. I just wish there was somebody who could take care of him."<br>Suddenly Darien said, "Leave it to me. I'll take care of him."  
>Amy and Serena both gasped to see Darien with Jordan still in his arms staring at him with compassionate affection in his eyes.<br>"Darien! Are you sure you're up to this? It could be for at least a week!"  
>"I want to help these people out. It will be fine."<br>Seeing that Darien was in earnest Serena said, "Okay Darien. But please just let me drop in and help you as much as I can."  
>When Darien reacted with an aghast expression Serena put on her strongest pleading tone and facial features. "Look I'm not going to try to throw myself on you. I solemnly swear. I just wanna make sure dear little Jordan is all right while he has none of his own family around. He means the world to me. Please please please."<br>Darien looked from Serena, to Jordan, then back to her again and smiled. "Okay Meat-ball Head. I'll see you after you finish school each day."  
>Amy was relieved as well as Serena and even Jordan. He could not communicate in his mind with anybody who wasn't a Youma, but the big smile he gave Serena told her how grateful he was. He would try his very best to hide his powers but whatever help Serena could offer him was most appreciated.<p>

And so after school the following day Serena called in at Darien's apartment to see how little Jordan was getting along. Although Darien wouldn't admit it he was stressed somewhat never having had to take care of a baby before and Jordan was also a little frustrated. He was so used to being able to let his mother, father or nanny know specifically when he was hungry, tired, needing a diaper change etc. But because Darien and Serena couldn't hear his mind speaking he just had to cry and cry until they figured out what he wanted just like any human baby.  
>Darien was trying to make him stop crying by making silly noises and funny faces. Serena said, "Let me try." Shaking her long plaited hair she stuck out her tongue, rolled her eyes and made gurgling sounds.<br>Poor Jordan groaned to himself. "Please oh please hurry up and change my diaper."  
>As he continued to bawl his head off Darien suggested, "Perhaps he's hungry. Let's make him up a bottle."<br>Darien took a bottle and some baby milk powder out of a bag and Serena snatched them from him.  
>"Here. Allow me to do this." Serena confidently strode into Darien's kitchen to prepare the bottle. She had a few little accidents such as overfilling the bottle with powder and splashing water from the sink everywhere while filling the jug to warm up the water to mix it with.<br>But she did finally get the bottle prepared at the right temperature and she came out with milky white splotches on her face, clothes and hair to Darien's shock.  
>"Sorry there's a slight mess in your kitchen," she said holding the bottle, "but here's Jordan's dinner."<br>Darien quietly groaned to himself as Serena attempted to feed Jordan, who kept wailing and wouldn't take it in his mouth. Serena said, "What's wrong now? Have I made it at the wrong temperature?"  
>As she proceeded to suck on the bottle to find out Jordan cried in exasperation. "For goodness sake. I'm so uncomfortable in this wet diaper and now the Meat-ball Head is stealing my milk."<br>Fortunately Darien thought of this at last and said, "Perhaps he's been trying to tell us about his diaper?"  
>Serena took the bottle out of her mouth while Darien bent down to examine Jordan. "What? It can't be? We already just changed his diaper half an hour ago!"<br>"Meatball-Head!" Jordan muttered mentally, "What do you expect? I'm on a liquid diet until my teeth come through. It goes straight through my system."  
>Darien commented, "It's true. It was his diaper all along. Get me a new one."<br>"For goodness sake," Serena echoed Jordan's earlier thoughts as she handed the fresh diaper to Darien and they replaced it discarding the old one.  
>But when Jordan began crying anew Serena almost screamed exasperatedly. "Now what? You have your diaper!"<br>"I wish my mummy was here so I could let her know I'm hungry now. You'd better not have drained my bottle." Jordan was almost at his wits end.  
>Darien took the bottle from Serena. "Perhaps he's really ready for some milk now that his diaper's been changed?"<br>Jordan took the bottle eagerly and sucked hard on it. Fortunately Serena hadn't taken very much at all. He still had plenty.  
>While Jordan drank to his heart's content Serena suddenly couldn't help trying to appeal to Darien once more. "Please tell me Darien. Why is it that when Jordan here came along you are so sweet as peppermint, yet when you see me you are instead a very sour pickle?"<br>Darien sighed. "I already told you at the Virtual Reality Arcade Meat-ball Head. I don't like pushy females. If you want me to at least be more friendly to you then you should learn to respect my feelings."

While Serena was trying to take this information in there came a knock at the door and Darien went to answer it. He almost fainted when he saw who it was. "Hi Darien."  
>It was Anne. In her human disguise naturally. She and Alan were currently in the process of setting a new date to attack the Day-Care Center along with the help of Bert and Sally, but for now she was filling in time and had decided to pay a visit at Darien's apartment. She had craftily discovered where he lived through spying on his movements covertly and not even Alan suspected her of this. Without even waiting for Darien to say anything she stormed inside brushing past him. "Just thought I'd drop into the neighbourhood and see how things, oh!"<br>When she first saw Serena she began to give her an icy stare that gave Serena a start, but then she saw Jordan. "What do we have here?" She smiled slyly pointing to the baby.  
>Darien followed her blushing and struggling to find words. "Oh that's Jordan. I'm b-baby-sitting him for the time being. Serena came over to help me."<br>"Is that so?" Anne was thinking with callous glee about their plans for all the babies very soon. She had been reminded about it upon seeing Jordan but for now she wanted to show off and impress Darien so she walked over to where Jordan lay on Darien's bed waving and kicking his little arms and legs. "Well I love babies and they adore me. I can look after him much better than silly Serena ever could."  
>Serena was rather offended. "Who're you calling silly?"<br>Anne just ignored her and bent down to pick up Jordan. She took him in her arms, pulling his bottle out of his mouth and grinning at him.  
>Even though Anne was in her human disguise Jordan could sense that she was an evil creature. "I saw you. I noticed you the other day. You were one of those monsters who were floating in the air above my Day-Care. You can't fool me with your disguise. It's because of you that my dear mummy and nanny who I love so dearly are unable to be with me at this moment."<br>Anne couldn't hear what Jordan was thinking of course but he was so angry that when he reached out and touched her nose with his fingertips she was suddenly beset with a nauseous, dizzy feeling.  
>"Argh!" She staggered on her feet and quickly put Jordan back on the bed. "I feel sick. Darien. Where's your bathroom?"<br>"Through that doorway around the corner Anne." Darien told her and because he could see that Anne was dizzy too, he gentlemanly helped her get inside without falling over and she lowered herself on her knees, bending over the pedestal and violently heaved into it. When she was finished she felt slightly better but now her head was throbbing badly like she had a migraine. "Oooooooh. I must go home. My head hurts."  
>Darien was kind of glad she was leaving but he hated to see her in pain. So did Serena who did not suspect Jordan of having caused her sickness.<br>"Here. Take some pills from my first aid cabinet before you go," said Darien. "This pill is for migraines and this is for combating vomiting."  
>Serena gave her a glass of water to wash them down with and Anne muttered a reserved, "Thanks."<br>"I'll walk with you to your apartment building to make sure you'll be okay Anne. Let me just say goodbye to Jordan," said Serena. Anne was so uncomfortable she did not argue and as Serena said farewell to Jordan he smiled. Anne would be better when she had some rest. But at least he had paid her back for his loved ones.  
>So taking leave of Darien Serena escorted Anne to the apartment blocks and the manager arranged for staff to take her up in the elevator to her apartment where she was delivered to her "family" who laid her down to rest on the sofa.<br>Alan was genuinely worried about her while Peter and Jenny were only pretending to show care. They had had their respect for Anne and Alan as well eradicated and as soon as they had a chance they planned to reveal the taped evidence to all the others.

The following day was a Saturday and Raye had sent out messages via communicators to the others last night. She had been doing personal readings of the Sacred Fire to try and pinpoint where the enemy would strike next and when. "The fire tells me that they are planning to strike at one o'clock this afternoon at a different Day-Care Center. The one in Daisy Avenue." She had reported this to her friends and so they had all solemnly promised to meet in the vicinity at twelve noon, one hour before the attack was due ready to defend the helpless babies.  
>Anne had indeed recovered after a good rest and she was eager and ready to join Alan with Bert and Sally at the appointed time. But though they were unaware the tree was still strengthened enough to know their new scheme, even though they took care not to discuss it in its presence and so the Moonlight Knight was also ready to show up to oppose them.<p>

At this particular Day-Care Center the babies were currently all out playing in the outside covered area. The cover protected them from the hot burning sun at this time of day. The staff were preparing to feed the babies their bottles or bowls of baby gruel by spoon for lunch at one pm when to their dismay Alan, Anne, Bert and Sally appeared floating in the sky above with Cardian Skulker in their midst.  
>"Skulker! Get their energy!" Alan cried.<br>"Yes master." Skulker raised her hands as the women were desperately trying to gather up the babies.  
>But suddenly the five Sailor Scouts leaped through the air out of the nearby bushes and over the fence line into the Center's grounds. They had concealed themselves to wait for the enemy to strike and had subtly whispered their magic words transforming quietly.<br>As they landed on their feet poised for combat the women all called out joyfully. "The Sailor Scouts are here!"  
>"They'll protect us and the babies!"<br>Sailor Venus made the first move. "VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!"  
>The Cardian only just dodged as the powerful beam shot past her. Alan and Anne on Skulker's right side had been out of range but not Bert and Sally on the left.<br>Anne shouted, "LOOK OUT!" But the golden beam struck Bert fast and hard straight in his face and Sally barely avoided contact as Bert clipped her brushing past with the force of the blow. Struggling hard she managed to steady herself and stay afloat while Bert went limp and fell to the ground with a crash. Sally had seen a glimpse of the way his forehead was caved in by the impact and knew this was a serious fight. "Bert's dead! They've killed him!" She was really hysterical and Alan was quick to respond.  
>"Skulker! Use your power and gather up as many babies as you can. Shield yourself and us."<br>As Skulker obediently motioned, to the mutual dismay of the Scouts and the Center staff, the babies were all encased inside bubble cocoons and rose into the air surrounding the Cardian and the three remaining aliens. Anne roared triumphantly. "Now the Sailor Scouts can't attack us for fear of harming the babies."  
>Alan added, "But our Cardian can still attack them. Drain all their energy Skulker and then drain all these babies as well."<br>Skulker prepared to comply when a white rose flew in front of her eyes. It did not scratch or damage her eyes. It was expertly thrown to miss by mere inches startling the Cardian and making her lose concentration. As the rose stuck in the ground below the bubbles all slowly lowered gently taking the babies back down with them. The Sailor Scouts saw the Moonlight Knight revealed also floating down from the air to alight on top of the area's sun shade cover structure.  
>"Skulker! Thank goodness I am here in time to stop you," he said. "You would be so devastated if you knew what you were potentially doing."<br>"Moonlight Knight. You've saved us again," Sailor Moon called out to him and he replied immediately.  
>"Sailor Moon. If you and your friends don't put a stop to this sooner or later every baby in town may likely be dead. They are even more fragile than the Kindergarten kids targeted not long ago."<br>Before any of the aliens could say or do anything in response Sailor Mercury acted boldly without hesitation. "MERCURY ICE BUBBLES FREEZE!"  
>She aimed her powerful attack straight at the Cardian and as the three aliens quickly drew back out of range Anne cried, "She's freezing our Cardian!"<br>It was true. Skulker was firmly encased in a cocoon of ice.

Sailors Moon, Mars, Jupiter and Venus were astonished. "Mercury! Where did that come from? That wasn't your usual attack," exclaimed Sailor Moon.  
>Sailor Mercury replied, "To be honest I don't know. I just felt this new power building up inside of me. I guess I couldn't stand the thought of any poor babies being destroyed and it brought it forth."<br>"That sounds very similar to what happened to me when I needed to protect the small children on the Kindergarten bus," said Sailor Venus. "You and I are now even more strongly empowered due to our passionate zeal to protect innocent lives."  
>This was dreadful news for Alan, Anne and Sally but there was worse to come.<br>Sailor Mars said, "This is wonderful. Only one thing left to do now."  
>"Yes Sailor Moon. Would you like to do the honours?" Sailor Jupiter asked her and seeing that Mercury's power still had not been enough to finish the job Sailor Moon agreed and reached for her tiara to turn it into her Moon Scepter.<br>But the Moonlight Knight sent another white rose flying past Sailor Moon's vision startling her. "Yikes!"  
>He cried out, "No Sailor Moon!"<br>The Sailor Scouts and the aliens were taken aback by this. Sailor Moon cried out in consternation. "What now Moonlight Knight? Don't you want this creature reduced to a card so that these invaders can take her back with them like all the others?"  
>"That won't be necessary this time Sailor Moon. Leave it to me." So saying he drew his sword and pointed it at the iced-up Cardian. Connected to the tree's reserves of power, the Moonlight Knight emitted a beam from his sword tip which struck Skulker melting the ice and surrounding her with a glowing aura.<br>"Alan! Anne! What is happening?" Sally screamed.  
>"It can't be," Alan gasped while Anne covered her mouth in shock.<br>When the aura faded Skulker opened her eyes and cried out upon seeing her familiar friend below. "Moonlight Knight! Is that really you? Where are we? I can't remember anything!"  
>"It's a long story Skulker." He flew up into the air to clasp her hands joyfully. "But at last you are free."<br>"NO!" Alan put the magic flute to his lips and played but the melody had no effect upon Skulker as she hugged the Moonlight Knight affectionately.  
>"This mission's a failure. Let's get out of here," he yelled and Anne and Sally dematerialized with him.<br>The tree had poured out all the extra strength it had to release Skulker from Alan's control. It wouldn't be able to free another Cardian or alert the Moonlight Knight to attacks immediately before they happened again unfortunately.  
>The Sailor Scouts and the women who worked at the Center were astonished at this turn of events. The Moonlight Knight and Skulker descended to the ground in the midst of the babies. Skulker clasped her hands together and her eyes sparkled as she said, "Look at all these adorable little babies. They are so sweet."<br>Then she saw Bert's dead body and pointed at it gasping, "But how did that happen? Moonlight Knight! What is going on?"  
>The Moonlight Knight put his arm around her shoulders and spoke comfortingly. "Like I said it's a long story. Come with me and I'll fill you in Skulker." He turned his head and said, "Sailor Scouts. Skulker and I will see you again soon. Stay strong and prepared for further battle."<br>He rose into the air with Skulker and they vanished. Sailor Moon gazed after him dreamily. "That fellow may be a big mystery to me, but he still is hunky," she sighed.

But the other Scouts reminded her there were still important matters to tend to. They assured the women that they and the babies were now safe and the authorities were called in to collect the body of Bert.  
>The incident was on the news that night. The news readers reported, "An attack on the Daisy Avenue Day-Care Center was thankfully averted by the Sailor Scouts today before any fatalities or injuries could occur. This is a photo of what is believed to be the corpse of one of these extremely dangerous invaders who have been causing such horrific mayhem in our community. The police are backing up the Sailor Scouts' instructions for the public to exercise extreme caution. In the meantime the body has been turned over to the military who have officially stated that the results of their alien autopsy will be classified private information not disclosed to the media."<p>

The following day, Sunday, Serena and Darien heard that Tweetus and Dorothy were being discharged from hospital after lunch. Serena went to Darien's apartment and helped him prepare Jordan for pick-up later.  
>At two o'clock Tweetus called to say she and Dorothy would arrive in fifteen minutes with Jordan's baby stroller. Darien and Serena took Jordan downstairs to meet them at the front door of the apartment blocks.<br>Jordan was delighted to see them when they arrived and as Tweetus took him into her arms saying, "Oh Jordan. Dorothy and I are so happy to see you again," he spoke to them both mentally.  
>"I've missed you so very much."<br>Dorothy put him in his stroller while she and Tweetus both thanked Darien and Serena immensely. "We can never repay you for looking after him."  
>"Yes and Jordan, your daddy will be home in two more days so we'll be all together for his return."<br>"That's great. I miss him too," thought Jordan with a huge grin. Then as Serena and Darien knelt down to say their final goodbyes, incredibly Jordan managed to talk. "Ba- Ba Darien." Turning to face Serena he laughed. "Mea-ball Ead."  
>Tweetus and Dorothy were so thrilled. "Jordan has finally said his first words Dorothy."<br>"My, Jed will be very happy when we tell him Tweetus."  
>As they departed Serena and Darien looked at each other, did a high five and laughed. Darien may still not have his memories back, but at least he was starting to like Serena since she began making effort not to push herself upon him all the time.<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

It was almost time for the annual concert show held in celebration of the Autumn Festival and this year Raye had volunteered not only to organize the show, but she was also the star performer. In fact she had written all her very own original songs and also composed the music herself. Serena and the others were all amazed when they heard about this.  
>"I never knew Raye was secretly hiding such incredible talent," said Amy.<br>"Yeah. It's going to be exciting when we all get to hear her perform," said Lita and they all agreed.  
>Serena said, "Do you suppose we could all go over to the hall and ask if we could watch her rehearse for a little while?"<br>"I don't see any reason why not," replied Mina.  
>Even Luna and Artemis were very impressed with Raye and Artemis said, "Okay everybody. Let's go together."<p>

Raye was very happy to see her friends and she said they could sit in the front row seats while she went through her songs. The other students in Raye's own school were helping her with the show and two of them were handling the spotlight trained upon Raye while the rest managed the sound equipment. Raye sang into her microphone in accompaniment to the back-up of some recorded music. "There are days when those grey skies,"  
>Then she cut herself off as she kept finding things to complain about. "Hey! Not so bright with the colours of the spotlight on me! And the music is too loud! The audience won't be able to hear me!"<br>The funny thing was Raye's schoolmates were generally so deeply admiring of her that they didn't always pay full attention to what she was trying to tell them. As Raye went on about the spotlight she called out to the pair above operating it. "Tone down the lighting please. This is not a cabaret show you know."  
>They naively called back down to her. "What's that? You say you want cabaret lighting? That's no problem Raye."<br>"Just tell us what cabaret lighting is like."  
>Raye was so flustered she needed to take time out. "Never mind. Everybody take a fifteen minute break."<br>"Okay Raye." Everybody called out in eager acknowledgement of the prospect of a short rest and sighing Raye walked down the stairs at the end of the stage to join her friends in their front row seats.  
>"Pathetic," she grumbled. "I'd get much better help from a cat."<br>"Do you want Artemis and Luna to volunteer their services Raye?" Serena giggled as she said this though the two cats groaned and bowed their heads embarrassed.  
>Raye was not impressed by Serena's flippant remark but she held her tongue and kept her cool. Amy and Mina held up two bags and said, "Look here."<br>"We brought some snacks for all of us to share."  
>This cheered Raye's spirit and helped to relax her tension and so they all enjoyed some quality time together while everybody, even Serena, gave Raye encouragement saying they had great confidence in her talented capabilities.<p>

Meanwhile Alan and Anne were perched up in a tree outside the building staring down at the rooftop. Alan was seated but Anne was standing perfectly balanced on the big branch with her arms folded. They could psychically sense what was going on inside plus they had heard all about the planned show on the television news.  
>"What a silly spectacle that girl Raye is planning to make of herself Alan," Anne sneered.<br>"I agree Anne, but just think of all the energy there will be tomorrow night among all the people. It's our best opportunity to make up for the couple of fiascoes when we targeted children of preschool and infancy ages respectively." Alan knew as well as Anne how desperate things were becoming. Everybody had been dreadfully shocked to hear when they returned to report that not only had they failed to obtain any energy, but also that Bert was dead like Fred and that Cardian Skulker had broken free from their power and joined the Moonlight Knight. There was fear this meant that the tree was going to rise up and attack them at first. But to their relief it became clear that it was still somehow under subjugation.  
>In truth, little did any of them realize that if they hadn't given even that tiny bit of Youma energy to the tree, it would never have had the strength to alert the Moonlight Knight to their attack beforehand or enable him to liberate Skulker from their mind control. By now he had fully explained everything to her and she was so horrified, yet so relieved to have the assurance that she hadn't harmed a single baby. She was now sworn to combine her powers with the Moonlight Knight to oppose the invaders and free the rest of the Cardians and the tree.<br>But though Alan and Anne didn't know it either things had worked out to give them more time of grace. Peter and Jenny were determined to let the others know about their leaders' bickering over their fraternizing with the humans Serena and Darien respectively. But for now they were just as concerned as everybody else to ensure their power be maintained in spite of losing a second Cardian. So Alan and Anne dematerialized from the treetops while nobody was looking and arrived back at the apartment to prepare for their move at the big show the following night.

Raye persevered at directing her workers as difficult as they were and she felt strongly confident that her performances would go successfully without any hitches. As the time slowly drew closer and closer to her curtain call that evening she was very happy. Not only would her friends be in the audience along with Luna and Artemis, but even Grandfather and Chad would be coming. They had discussed it together and had come to the mutual agreement that they could close the temple up securely that night. Besides most people would be going to the show so they wouldn't have many visitors to see the temple even if they did stay open. Grandfather and Chad sat in the audience with Lita, Amy, Mina and Serena seated next to them. Artemis sat in Mina's lap and Luna in Serena's.  
>"I'm so proud of my granddaughter Chad," said Grandfather.<br>"If I ever decide I'm ready to go back on concert tours I'll write one or two songs in dedication to her," declared Chad with admiration.  
>"Ooooh. It won't be long now you girls," said Serena and the others all shared her eager enthusiasm.<p>

But at that moment Alan and Anne were standing on top of the roof of the concert building shed from their human disguises. They were also eagerly awaiting the show but for a completely different reason.  
>They could hear all the cheering and applause echoing up from the inside as the curtains opened revealing Raye in a lovely red dress with yellow lace and white frills holding a microphone. "Hello everybody. Welcome to my special concert."<br>Amidst all the cheers Grandfather and Chad both yelled as loudly as they could. "Way to go Raye!"  
>"Good for ya Raye!"<br>Raye smiled very pleased at the ovation and said, "Well how about we get things started? Here's my first song."  
>As the lyrics began to float upwards Alan and Anne made their despicable move.<br>"There are days when those grey skies make you blue,"  
>"Anne. Pick us a Cardian to steal the show for us and gather all that precious energy."<br>Anne made her choice and Alan put the magic flute to his lips and blew the tune to summon it to life. As a creature resembling a mermaid with white skin and long flowing pink hair burst forth from the card, Alan lowered the flute and said, "Cardian Amphibia! Go and collect the energy from all the people inside this building we are standing upon."  
>The Cardian obediently hurled herself head first through the roof smashing it as though she were a battering ram. Raye and her audience were deeply shocked and all eyes were drawn upwards as Amphibia soared overhead.<br>Raye had actually sensed something was about to happen a split second before but it was still a shock to her all the same. Amphibia let loose a shower of gold dust particles floating down upon the audience. "Don't let it touch you girls," warned Artemis.  
>Luna agreed and urged them, "Quickly get under the auditorium chairs with us."<br>Before Grandfather or Chad knew what was happening two things took place. First Serena and her friends got straight down on the floor and squeezed themselves under the chairs with Luna and Artemis and second as soon as the gold dust touched them, they and the rest of the audience felt their energy being drained away and they all cried out and collapsed unconscious in their seats. The poor tree felt the bombardment of massive amounts of energy entering it and could sense that some of the people were very close to death. Especially the elderly. Raye's grandfather was in dire straits. If he didn't receive help soon he could die. Losing a huge portion of his energy was extremely dangerous at his age.  
>Raye was horrified and her stage crew all screamed and ran for their lives. Raye didn't know that her friends had sheltered themselves in time. She only knew she had to act immediately. "MARS POWER!" She transformed herself and called out to get the attention of the Cardian while Alan and Anne were floating down through the hole in the ceiling.<br>"Hey there! I'm Sailor Mars and I will punish you for ruining my stage debut AND attacking my audience!"  
>"Well what do you know Anne? Raye the budding celebrity turns out to be Sailor Mars," Alan chuckled.<br>Raye was too angry to care that her cover was blown to the enemy. "Yeah that's who I am and I'll burn the seats of your pants also I swear."  
>"Our new Cardian will see that your fire rebounds back upon you. Get her Amphibia," Anne shouted.<p>

While Sailor Mars kept the enemy distracted Serena and the others took advantage to quietly crawl out from under the seats and transform themselves. By the time the aliens reacted to their proclamations even Alan was too late to realize that Sailor Moon was in fact his human obsession Serena while she was transforming.  
>"The other Scouts are here! Take care of them too!" shouted Anne as they leaped up onto the stage to fight alongside Sailor Mars. She was so happy to see they were okay.<br>But Amphibia had responded to Anne's command and even before their feet hit the floorboards she had branched out her long hair in various strands and whipping them out she lassoed each of them around the neck. Even though Luna desperately shouted for them to watch out it was too late. They were taken by surprise and as they landed on the stage they all hopelessly grasped the bindings. They didn't even have the strength to pull and break it. They felt their energy immediately draining away. These Cardians generally didn't mess around when they attacked. They meant business. Only Sailor Mars managed to lunge out of the way and even then the lasso of Amphibia's hair snagged her around the ankle. "My energy!" she cried. "She's taking it!"  
>Sailor Jupiter groaned. "Somebody do something."<br>But two of the others, including Sailor Moon, were already so weak that they were collapsing down on their knees. It looked so awful that Luna and Artemis were just on the verge of taking the risk of springing at the Cardian's face in a bold and desperate effort to help.

Fortunately salvation arrived just then. Thin threads attached themselves to Amphibia stunning her while five white roses went flying in quick succession severing the threads of hair freeing the Scouts and they all fell to the stage boards. Alan and Anne looked up and gasped. Standing side by side upon the railing of a couple of stage lights were the Moonlight Knight and Skulker.  
>The tree had been desperately trying as usual to alert the Moonlight Knight and thank goodness, Skulker was now also able to tune in to the psychic frequencies. She and the Moonlight Knight were able to combine their mental perception and this made it easier for the tree. Together they had been able to pinpoint where they needed to be even faster than before. This was good news for the Scouts, who otherwise may have fallen into comas or even died while waiting for deliverance.<p>

As it was the five of them were all very weak but very glad to see the Moonlight Knight. Amphibia had recovered and pulled herself away breaking Skulker's strands and glanced upwards growling with rage. "Amphibia," Skulker pleaded. "We're your friends. Remember?"  
>"Moonlight Knight! We're all so weak," Sailor Moon called up. "Can you turn this monstrous mermaid good like you did with the other enemy by your side now?"<br>"Alas no Sailor Moon. I wish I could and so does Skulker. But we don't have the power to do so."  
>"Did you hear that Alan?" sneered Anne.<br>"Yeah. That's a relief. I was getting worried." Alan laughed and cried out, "Cardian Amphibia. Drive off these two traitors while the Sailor Scouts are too weak to fight and then finish them off."  
>The Moonlight Knight drew his sword and said, "We can't avoid having to fight our friend Skulker. But try to be gentle with her."<br>"O-okay." Skulker was very unhappy but she and the Moonlight Knight launched themselves off the railing down towards the stage. As Amphibia attacked throwing her gold dust up at them, Skulker used her bubbles to deflect and absorb it. As the bubbles dissipated Amphibia tried to use her hair to whip them, but the Moonlight Knight swung his sword cutting and hacking at it. He and Skulker seized Amphibia and as she wildly thrashed around throwing them off of her, her mermaid-like tail struck the stand on which Sailor Mars had arranged all the sheets of her songs with their lyrics and melody, breaking it to pieces and scattering the pages all over the place.  
>For Sailor Mars this was the final straw. Ruining her concert had been bad enough but seeing that happen to the songs she had worked so hard at writing and composing seemed to give her new fresh energy in her anger.<br>She jumped upon her feet and faced the Cardian screaming, "That does it. I'll fix you fish-fingered freak! MARS FIREBIRD STRIKE!"  
>Alan and Anne gasped in shock as a huge fiery phoenix-like figure made entirely of flames formed from Sailor Mars' fingertips and flew towards Amphibia. The Cardian attempted to spit a jet of water from her mouth but the firebird dodged it and kept coming. In panic Amphibia tried to run but it pursued her whichever way she turned.<br>Skulker tried to intervene but the Moonlight Knight threw his arms around her. "No I'm sorry Skulker. I want to help her too but we have no choice but to let things take their course."  
>She began to cry. "If only we could have freed her."<br>As the firebird caught up with her Amphibia screamed and was reduced to a blank card.

Artemis cried out joyfully, "Sailor Mars has her full strength back!"  
>"Yes and I think the others are beginning to recover Artemis," smiled Luna as Sailor Moon and her friends climbed steadily to their feet.<br>But even Sailor Mars half-regretted her action when she saw Skulker pick up Amphibia's card and look at it with tears in her eyes. The Moonlight Knight placed his arm around her shoulders while the Sailor Scouts all stood solemnly around them.  
>Then he spoke: "Cheer up Skulker. Remember Amphibia is not really dead." He took the card and held it up in the air. "We can rest assured that the aliens will put her through the usual means by which we can be restored if we are damaged. Here. Come and get it," he called up to Alan and Anne. Alan took the initiative descending to grab the card from the Moonlight Knight's hand. All the Sailor Scouts including Mars held their piece even though they were all inwardly fuming at these evil villains from another planet. Raye swore to kill Alan and Anne when she had the chance. Especially if her dear Grandfather and Chad did not pull through. What percentage of the audience may already be dead in their seats? How many others may yet die in hospital perchance?<p>

Alan said a sarcastic thank you as he took the proffered card and rose back up towards Anne. "We did get a lot of vital energy tonight and the tree should be good for at least another week under our control. We shall be relentlessly interrogating it to infiltrate its mind and when we do discover the secret to absolutely destroying you we will rub you out. Both of you," he added pointing at Skulker for emphasis and she flinched as she sobbed once more.  
>"Let's go now Anne." Joining hands she and Alan faded away.<br>Before any of the Scouts could ask them anything the Moonlight Knight said, "Farewell till next time Sailor Scouts. Stay united against those aliens and we will back you up. Now you'd better try to help all these poor people as much as you possibly can."  
>Then with his arm still encircling Skulker they too disappeared before their eyes.<p>

Her show was over before it had even begun, but Raye didn't care. As soon as they were alone with Artemis and Luna all the girls had turned back into their civilian identities and were desperately calling for ambulances even as the police were arriving with some of the girls from Raye's school, who had alerted them as soon as they had fled from the theater in terror.  
>Raye and her friends explained that the Sailor Scouts had fought off the evil forces that had caused this mass attack and the police assisted with removing all the hundreds of people. Sadly there were about ten fatalities although Grandfather and Chad regained consciousness and appeared to be among the lucky few who had only been lightly affected by the mysterious gold-like dust particles. The ambulance and police people assisted them over to an area where they could rest and regain their strength while the others were taken away on stretchers to hospital. The five girls helped providing water for those left behind to drink and pillows and cushions for those who were too tired to sit up. Raye herself tended to Grandfather and Chad. "Thank goodness you're both going to be all right," she said.<br>"I'm very sorry this had to happen when you were going to make your stage debut Raye," Chad moaned. "This was supposed to be a wonderful night and it's been beset with sorrow and tragedy."  
>"I hope the Sailor Scouts are able to annihilate these monsters soon." Grandfather was furious. "These acts of terrorism can't be allowed to go on."<br>"I'm sure they will. Just please relax Grandfather," Raye begged but Serena and the other girls were in agreement with what Grandfather had just said. Far too many innocents had already lost their lives. When, oh when, would they get their chance to put a stop to it all? Even Artemis and Luna were wondering with ever-growing anxiety.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

It was the day after the terrible incident when Raye had attempted to put on a concert in celebration of the annual Autumn Festival. It had been canceled in the face of the tragic and brutal attack upon the audience by those wicked aliens, Alan and Anne.  
>Serena had been so very upset about it when she went to bed afterwards that her sleep was plagued by nightmares. And when her mother woke her up for school in the morning Serena was still shook up and worried about the possible further attacks the aliens might be scheming and she did something she deeply regretted. When she packed her belongings for school she completely forgot to take her lunch bag with her.<p>

She only just realized her terrible mistake when she was preparing to eat at lunch break. "Oh no!" She was devastated. "I'm going to starve this afternoon!"  
>As she forlornly walked out into the school grounds she could swear she could hear her stomach growling like a lion while she beheld all the other girls and boys tucking into their own lunches. Melvin was even sharing his lunch with Molly. They were staring into each other's eyes as they ate together. The two of them had come to develop a very serious relationship. It had begun to slowly start following the incident in which Melvin had been hurt trying to protect Molly from Queen Beryl's forces in the graveyard. Molly knew that her dear friend Nephlite was always watching out for her and that he was very pleased that she had found joy and comfort in regards to his death through Melvin. They even mutually fed things to each other. They were so happy together.<br>Serena knew that if she tried asking for some of Melvin's food, he and Molly would take offence and tell her to get lost. But then she had an idea. "Of course! I'll find Lita and she will share her lunch with me. She always brings more food than enough for herself alone."

However even as Serena ran off desperately searching for Lita, at that moment she was planning to have lunch with somebody else. Not longer than fifteen minutes ago she had overheard Alan playing his flute inside the corridors of the school hall. A huge crowd of other girls had also gathered alongside her to listen and they were all deeply attracted to him through the alluring music. "He's brilliant."  
>"I could listen to his music all day."<br>"Alan! What a beautiful name. Beautiful like his flute-playing."  
>While they all said many other similar things out loud, Lita was thinking her own thoughts quietly.<br>"Where did he learn to play the flute like that? I must get Alan away by himself somehow. He's so dreamy. Just like my ex-boyfriend."  
>As soon as he finished playing all the girls were practically begging him to share lunch with them. He smiled and said, "Thank you but I never do lunch."<br>In truth the only girl he was wishing would offer to share lunch with him was Serena, but as he walked away all the girls kept following pleading.  
>"Just this one time."<br>"Please Alan."  
>Lita groaned as she watched them all exit the building. "If only I could somehow get rid of all the competition."<p>

Everybody in the grounds were amazed to see the line of girls holding their lunches right up to their chins following Alan and crooning longingly behind him. Some of the boys were rather gloomy thinking to themselves, "What is it about Alan that attracts the girls to him like that?"  
>But in reality Alan didn't desire the attention and as he turned a corner, seeing nobody in sight, he grabbed his opportunity. Using his extraordinary super agility he jumped all the way to the top of the building in one bound before the girls came round the corner in pursuit. Looking down from the balcony he smiled as the crowd of gaggling females walked straight on past below trying to figure out where he went.<p>

But just as he turned away Lita came by on her own and just so happened to randomly glance up and catch sight of him. She was astonished. "I don't know how he managed to get up there so quickly," she thought. "But this is excellent. He lost the herd and I'll grab the chance to get to know him now myself."  
>She hugged her lunch bag to her chest. "I'm sure I can persuade him to accept my company when he sees all the goodies I have."<br>With that she ran straight to the stairs inside that building that would take her all the way to the rooftop.  
>In the meantime Alan was playing his flute some more in privacy and inevitably thinking about Serena when suddenly he heard Lita's voice.<br>"Hey Alan!" He stopped playing and opened his eyes to see her puffing and panting from her madly eager dash up staircase after staircase. "Would you like some company?" She held up her bulging bag and added with a gasp, "W-we can even have lunch."  
>"Hmm," thought Alan, "this is one of Serena's close friends. I think I will accept her invitation. I may be able to get closer to Serena by socializing with her friends."<br>Curiously the thought of intending to get close to Serena's friends for potential energy did not enter Alan's mind. Of course the tree did not need any more energy at the moment but still Alan was beginning to subconsciously think that maybe Serena's friends could be allowed to live as well as Serena herself when their take-over was complete. Well some of them at least.  
>Anyway when Lita heard Alan say, "Sure okay. We can share lunch today," her heart almost gave a tremendous jump straight out of her chest with excitement.<br>So she and Alan sat down together and shared the food. "I cooked everything myself Alan," she said passing him a squid on a stick.  
>He was slightly hesitant. "Oooh. It looks kind of slimy."<br>Lita wasn't offended and she laughed. "Ha ha! No it isn't slimy at all. But don't feel you're obliged to try it if you don't want to Alan."  
>"It's all right Lita. When I was a young boy I was never afraid to try new food once. No matter what it looked like." With that Lita watched as Alan put the squid in his mouth drawing it off the toothpick-sized stick and slowly chewed it before swallowing.<br>"What do you think Alan?" she asked.  
>He smiled at her. "That was delicious. Let me try some of your other dishes Lita."<br>"Help yourself." She was so happy as she ate and talked with him and to his surprise Alan found he was also.  
>When Lita told him that her dream was to become a world-class cook one day and open her own restaurant he thought to himself, "Her food is so delicious. We should let her live so she can cook for us. But hold on. Why am I feeling like she should be allowed to cook of her own free will? She should be our slave and be whipped if she doesn't cook. But then, wouldn't that upset the dear earth girl Serena? I don't want Serena to be unhappy. Woah. I'm so confused."<br>"Is something the matter Alan?" Lita was suddenly concerned to see the worried look in his eyes but even as he tried to cover it up and tell her it was nothing Anne appeared out of nowhere.  
>"What are you doing here Alan?"<br>"Huh? Oh hi Anne," grinned Alan sheepishly.  
>Lita smiled and invited Anne to join them. "I've cooked plenty to go round."<br>But Anne's jealousy was peaked to see her Alan fraternizing with Lita. Serena had been bad enough. "No thanks," she sneered. "I don't think anybody should pollute their stomachs with such junk. It might make you throw up."  
>"Hey!" Lita sprang to her feet and faced Anne defiantly. "Nobody ever throws up from my cooking!"<br>Anne did not raise her fists or her voice though, so Lita kept her hands by her side. As they angrily stared at each other Anne spoke very slowly and sternly, "I want you to stay away from my brother."  
>Lita rolled her eyes and said, "You sure get mighty jealous for a mere sister."<p>

Alan decided he'd better leave with Anne. This situation reminded him grimly of a time when he and Anne were teenage kids back on their planet and they had been sitting by a lovely flower bed sharing their planet's food together for an afternoon snack. When suddenly his parents and Anne's parents who hated each other had caught them. Alan's father had picked him up by the scruff of his neck while Anne's father had pulled her up painfully by her hair. Even as he had begged her father not to hurt her, his own father began to punch him hard in the stomach and Anne's mother shrieked, "If we see your boy near our daughter again we will tar and feather him!"  
>"That's nothing compared to what we'll do to your daughter if we catch her near him!" Alan's mother had yelled. "So you'd better discipline her as well as we're going to do our son."<br>"Oh we will. Don't worry," said Anne's father.  
>And when Alan's parents dragged him home they had beaten him till he was black and blue. He found out later that Anne had been similarly treated. That's when their hearts had begun to turn bitter with malice at being forbidden to see each other and abused so barbarically. Finally he'd quietly slipped out of his bedroom while his parents were asleep and going to Anne's bedroom window on an arranged meeting he'd gently called out to her and they had run away together and fallen in with Peter, Jenny and a gang of juvenile delinquents.<br>They had enlisted the help of the gang to enact their brutal revenge upon their cruel and abusive parents. Under their instructions they had bashed both couples almost half to death one by one and Alan and Anne had scarred their faces and bodies with blades so that they would have to live the rest of their lives reminded of how they had treated them. After that the gang vowed to always follow Alan and Anne as their new leaders and they became violent criminal rebels.

The King of their planet had attempted to apprehend them all and throw them in his dungeons with the help of the creatures the mysterious tree had created for him known as the Cardians. The Cardians did begin to capture them one or two at a time though the rebels had certainly fought back sometimes defeating the Cardians. They assumed they'd been destroying them. But eventually through spying on the King in his castle covertly they had realized he had the power to bring them back to life as good as new following the instructions of the magical tree everybody held in such awe and respect. So they formed a plan and slipped into the castle while everybody slept and stole the magic flute the King used to summon the Cardians to do his bidding. Alan studied it hard and learned how to use the enchanted tunes to brainwash the Cardians and turn them over to their side. With their assistance they had overthrown the King, imprisoned him in the dungeons along with many of his loyal subjects, killed heaps of others who attempted to rescue their ruling monarch and his poor Queen and royal family, and in conclusion harnessed the life energy of their murdered victims and used it to sap the trees' strength and capture it. They had left some of their allies behind to guard their prisoners while the rest of them had decided to travel through space using the tree itself for transport. Earth was the first major inhabited planet they had discovered and they swore to conquer it also to form part of their own wicked dynasty.  
>But now here on earth Alan was beginning to discover that there were some humans he did not really want to kill or even hurt. He had legitimately been stunned by the earth girl Serena's alluring beauty for starters. But now he had been surprised to experience such major friendliness from Lita. He had never thought anybody from anywhere would prove to be so very nice. He had only known pain and mistreatment while he was growing up and assumed that the gang he and Anne now led were the only friends they would ever be able to trust. He was surprised and confused but he knew the best thing was to take leave of Lita for now. He stood up and said, "Thank you for lunch Lita. I think I'd better go with my sister now. Goodbye."<br>Lita felt disappointed but said, "Oh thank you then Alan. Bye for now."  
>Alan followed Anne in silence without even looking back over his shoulder.<br>"Things were fine till his sister showed up." Lita sighed to herself. "Why must Anne be so crazy?"

As for Serena, having searched in vain to find Lita, she was desperately weak with hunger. She happened to come across Amy, who was sitting at a computer doing some research while she ate. "Amy help," she called out in a very soft voice startling Amy who turned around to see her clutching at the frame of the open doorway to hold herself up.  
>"Serena! What is it?" she asked but Serena moaned and pleaded.<br>"I need food. Please. Please."  
>Amy was taken aback and asked, "Didn't you have your own lunch Serena?"<br>"I forgot to bring it today," Serena admitted as she staggered to collapse inside her friends' embrace.  
>Amy was very upset to see Serena like this. "Well I've practically finished my lunch but fortunately I do have one item left. I'll give it to you."<br>"Oh thank you Amy." Even one thing was better than nothing to Serena at this point and as Amy supported her they inched close enough for Amy to reach down into her lunch box and produce a fair-sized banana. Before Amy knew it Serena had snatched it promptly shoving it straight in her mouth still in the peel.  
>Amy shut her eyes and sighed quietly as Serena bit off half the banana and chewed it up as best she could. When she swallowed she stared at what was left in her hand before removing the rest of the peel and eating the second half normally. She blushed bright red.<p>

During the second half of class that day Serena's stomach kept growling to the wonderment of the other students. Miss Haruna showed her truly compassionate side by just pretending it wasn't happening and calling the class constantly back to attention. When it was time to go home she asked Serena to stay and see her after everybody else had left. Serena was feeling very nervous and tense but Miss Haruna spoke gently to her. "Serena what a silly girl you were forgetting your lunch. It's very bad for your health you know."  
>"Y-yes Miss Haruna," she struggled to reply as Miss Haruna put a kindly hand on her head.<br>"I'm not angry with you Serena, but please don't ever do this again. Even though you drive me up the wall often I really like you and it hurts me to think about you making yourself sick like this."  
>Serena was deeply touched by this. It had never crossed her mind to consider that Miss H actually liked her. As she stared up she suddenly saw her in a different light.<br>"I like you too Miss Haruna and I promise I won't do this ever again."  
>Miss Haruna smiled and said, "Thank you Serena. And now let me drive you home. You can't walk in this condition. And I trust you will have something to eat as soon as you get there."<br>"Thank you Miss Haruna and I will."  
>Then teacher and student hugged each other. Serena knew then that no matter how many times she made Miss H angry, rightfully angry she admitted to herself, deep down the two of them would always be friends forever.<p>

As Anne was walking away from school Alan ran up trying to talk to her. "Anne. Please wait."  
>She turned her head and frowned heavily at him. "Why should you even try to explain your actions today Alan?"<br>"Please Anne," but she cut him off ranting.  
>"I know we're supposed to be acting as if we are the same as these humans but eating their food? And why were you sitting and eating with her? Couldn't you have just gone to a restaurant?"<br>"Anne you're making too much of this!"  
>Just then Lita appeared. "Hello again Alan. Would you like to have lunch tomorrow as well?"<br>Alan started to say that he wasn't certain but Anne became all huffy.  
>"Hey! Don't refuse just because of me. If you want to make a fool of yourself with her feel free to do so anytime."<br>As Alan tried to appeal to her she stormed off past Lita with her nose in the air.  
>"Hey Alan," Lita asked. "What's your sister's problem anyway?"<br>"I wish I knew," Alan brushed aside the question and then he said, "I'm sorry about this. Can I have a chat with you please?"  
>"Sure we can sit on this nearby bench and talk Alan."<br>Alan really found himself fascinated with Lita and her personality and he wanted to get to know her some more.

As they sat side by side Alan said, "Um Lita. Can I ask you a question please?"  
>With a big smiling face Lita answered affirmatively and Alan immediately shared what was on his mind with her.<br>"Do you think there's any connection between food and love?"  
>Lita considered this, then said, "Oh definitely."<br>Alan went on, "So if you truly love somebody the best thing you can do is offer them something delicious to eat?"  
>Lita was intrigued by this line of thought and said, "Well as long as you prepare it with feeling."<br>Alan asked, "What kind?" and Lita began to laugh.  
>"Oh Alan. I said feeling not filling. Oh that's so funny."<br>Infected by Lita's mood Alan began to join in the laughter, much to the irritation of Anne who was hiding in some nearby bushes. In her rage she changed into her normal appearance. She was determined to attack this wench who was toying with her Alan's emotions.

Meanwhile Amy was waiting at Serena's gate next to her mother. They were both very concerned for her. Amy had knocked on the door and met Serena's mother and told her about Serena forgetting her lunch. She had been horrified and rushing into Serena's bedroom upstairs found that while her daughter really had taken her lunch bag up with her to pack, she had left it behind sitting on top of her dresser table.  
>"Oh that Serena," she had moaned as soon as she ran back downstairs with it in her hand. "I must not tell her father when he gets home from work later tonight. He'd have a fit. My poor, silly daughter. Fancy her doing such a thing."<br>Luna was also aghast and stood behind her and Amy looking out between their legs.  
>Finally Miss Haruna's car drove up and she exited to open Serena's passenger door and give her a helping hand into her mother's arms without falling splat on her face. "Here's your Serena back home in one piece," she said and Serena almost fainted as she grabbed at the bag in her mother's hand.<br>"Oh Mum. Is that really my lunch you're holding? Tell me I'm not suffering hallucinations."  
>"It's real Serena. Now come inside, sit down and eat every crumb of it you foolish girl. Thank you Miss Haruna."<br>Miss Haruna said her farewell and drove off while Amy helped Serena's Mum get her safely inside so she could tuck in.  
>Serena's strength quickly began to return as she scoffed the food down. "Oh this is so good."<br>Amy and Luna were watching her while Mum was in the kitchen preparing for the evening meal with Dad. She had also gone straight to see Sammy in his own room and sternly warned him not to say anything in front of Dad and he meekly agreed. Though he thought to himself if he had the opportunity he would give her a teasing rebuke in privacy. But then he had second thoughts. "Better just let it go. If she has a sulky tantrum Dad will be demanding to know what it's all about and then Mum will be enraged."

Back in the living room Amy said to Serena astounded, "Slow up. You're about as obsessed with your food as Lita is with Alan today."  
>"What's that?" Serena pricked up her ears as she paused eating. "When did you hear this Amy?"<br>"I met her just as we were leaving school this afternoon. She told me that Alan was just the coolest boy in the whole school and she's determined to become acquainted with him."  
>Serena frowned deeply. "I don't suppose she mentioned by any chance that Alan looks so remarkably much like her ex-boyfriend?"<br>Then without waiting for a reply she wolfed down the last of her food and wiped her mouth. "Well, I'm going to put a stop to her little game."  
>"What do you mean?" asked Amy.<br>Serena jumped out of her chair declaring with her fist raised high, "She's always going after all the best boys in school and leaves nobody for us to flirt with. It's gone far enough. I'm going to give her a piece of my mind."  
>Luna sighed and quietly thought to herself, "I sincerely hope she can afford to spare even the smallest portion of her mind."<br>Amy said, "All right. Just hold on and I'll let your mother know that you feel better and I'm taking you for a walk."  
>Fortunately Serena's Mum didn't mind as long as she felt fine now and she knew she could trust Amy to look after her.<br>So off the two of them went to search for Lita with Luna at their heels.

As for Lita she was having a meaningful albeit unusual talk about the connection between food and love with Alan. Alan had asked her if this was her motive for wanting to own a restaurant. To offer her love to complete strangers through her cooking. Lita was dumbfounded. "Of course not Alan."  
>Alan went on hardly paying attention to her. "I could never give my love to strangers like that. There's only one person I could ever truly love. Besides love is supposed to be special."<br>"But Alan. Not all love is of the romantic kind," said Lita. "True food does bring people together. But when it's real romantic sort of love you want to do something for somebody in order to show them that you really care with all your heart."  
>It was at this moment that Anne made her presence known. "The party's over," she cried as she stepped forward to confront Lita and Alan on the bench.<br>Lita gasped. "It's one of those dangerous aliens. Look out Alan!" She and Alan sprang to their feet.  
>Alan cried out, "Wait! Stop it!" But Anne held up her hand with the palm facing towards them and a massive sonic-wave blew Lita and Alan off their feet.<br>It was just at that moment when Serena, Amy and Luna so happened to come along on their search around town for Lita and Alan. As they turned a corner Serena gasped and started pointing and making silly noises as she tried to speak.  
>Amy said, "Serena I think Lita needs help."<br>Luna spoke with sarcasm. "If you have done enough shaking it might be a good time to transform next."  
>While Luna and Amy frowned at her Serena blushed. "Er. Heh-heh. Right. MOON CRYSTAL POWER!"<br>Amy responded without hesitation. "MERCURY POWER!"

While Lita was struggling to get to her feet, Alan sprang to his own and sprinted off as if fleeing for his life. Lita was pleased to see Alan escaping to her way of thinking and she yelled defiantly at Anne to draw her attention away from him. "Who do you think you are sleaze-bucket?"  
>"You dare to call me insulting names? I'll destroy you!" shouted Anne just as Lita's friends sprang from the shadows landing in between them.<br>"You're the one who's going to die! On behalf of the Moon I, Sailor Moon,"  
>"And I Sailor Mercury,"<br>They both finished speaking together, "We will execute you for your wickedness."  
>Anne was so naive in her frenzied malice that she never imagined that she could conceivably lose her life to the Sailor Scouts. But Alan knew better. He knew that by herself Anne was surely a goner. He couldn't allow that to happen.<br>In his normal form he suddenly materialized behind Anne floating a few feet above the ground. Flashing power from his eyes he paralyzed the three girls before sending them all flying through the air to land on their backs behind the bushes.  
>Anne turned defiantly to Alan as he descended beside her. "I don't need you!"<br>But reaching out and gently taking hold of her chin he said, "Yes you do." Then he kissed her cheek making her blush. "Just like I need you Anne. I love you."  
>Anne knew in her heart this was the truth and she felt the same way for Alan. Her eyes shone with delight as he produced the special deck of cards.<br>"Now pick us a Cardian my darling before they get back on their feet."  
>With her heart fully softened Anne gestured with her finger and a card flew up in the air.<br>As Lita struggled to her feet with the help of Sailor Mercury (Sailor Moon was still sprawled on her back making gurgling noises while Luna angrily told her to get up for goodness sake) Alan shouted "Cardian Mophead! I command you to come forth!"  
>With that he put the flute to his lips and began to play. Lita was suddenly dumbfounded. She thought, "That flute playing sounds so very similar to Alan's. It couldn't be. Could it?"<br>Sailor Mercury brought her out of her private thoughts by asking if she was all right. "Huh? Oh yeah. I'm ready."  
>Then before their eyes the newest Cardian burst forth. She was appropriately named Mophead as she was a humanoid figure with a huge head of puffy, red and brown hair resembling a mop.<br>Lita grabbed her transformation stick. "I'm ever ready. JUPITER POWER!"  
>Sailor Moon was finally climbing to her feet at Luna's assistance and was cheered to see Sailor Jupiter.<br>"Come on," Jupiter yelled as she and Sailor Mercury ran out to confront the Cardian. "There's no time to waste Sailor Moon."  
>"Yeah right." Sailor Moon was slightly hesitant rubbing the middle of her back, but she followed them.<p>

Alan and Anne were now floating high above the action as they commanded Mophead to destroy them. Alan hadn't even noticed Lita transform into Sailor Jupiter and Mophead obliged by producing heavy thick strands of bindings resembling strong tape. Sailors Moon and Mercury's arms were tied up before they knew it. Sailor Jupiter initially jumped out of the way, but as she prepared to attack with her lightning bolts a second attack did catch her. She couldn't move her arms anymore than the others.  
>Before the shocked eyes of Luna the Cardian proceeded to tie Moon and Mercury together with further tape into a big ball with only their heads sticking out. While Jupiter desperately strained her muscles to try to break free her friends were picked up and thrown into the air landing inside a nearby duck pond. As the ducks all scattered quacking in fright Anne laughed. "Look Alan. Those two Sailor Scouts are floating like a giant beach ball."<br>"How perfectly marvelous Anne. Why don't we go over and turn them upside-down so they drown while our Cardian sees to the other one?"  
>"I like your idea Alan. Let's do it."<p>

But before the aliens could carry out their murder plan Sailor Jupiter yelled out, "I'm free!" capturing their attention.  
>"Oh no. It's that Moonlight Knight!" cried Anne.<br>He was standing on the top of a street lamp, of all things. He had thrown one of his white roses severing the tape and releasing Sailor Jupiter's arms.  
>"I received word from a personal source that you needed help Jupiter." He spoke cryptically making Alan and Anne raise their eyebrows as they silently fumed. "I suggest you act quickly before you are attacked again."<br>"Don't worry Moonlight Knight. I know exactly what to do." Sailor Jupiter prepared to make her move.  
>"Cardian Mophead! Strike first now!" shouted Alan.<br>But Sailor Jupiter was summoning up great reserves of power even as Alan cried out. "JUPITER THUNDER DRAGON!"  
>The Cardian had scarcely made a move towards her when her thunder and lightning powers burst out and assumed the shape of an enormous dragon. Mophead was terrified and screamed as the thunder dragon opened its massive jaws and "ate" her in one gulp. As the dragon disappeared it burst into an electrical explosion revealing Mophead's card spinning in the air before turning blank and falling to the ground. The Moonlight Knight had bowed his head with his eyes shut. He couldn't bear to watch what had just transpired.<p>

Anne prepared to attack Sailor Jupiter when a familiar voice shouted, "VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!"  
>"Look out!" Alan grabbed the back of Anne's collar and pulled her backwards with him as the attack of Sailor Venus zoomed past them. They were both shook up remembering how such an attack had claimed the life of Bert not too long ago.<br>Yes Sailor Venus was here. And so was Sailor Mars. "MARS FIRE IGNITE!"  
>Alan and Anne tensed but Sailor Mars was not aiming at them. Her fireball whizzed over to the duckpond where it struck the ball of tape floating on top of the water. It burned Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury free and they fell into the water. When they swam ashore a little bit singed but more or less okay Sailor Moon grumbled at Mars. "Thank you very much you arsonist."<br>Sailor Mars was annoyed at the lack of gratitude from her. "Nothing's good enough for you is it?"  
>Sailor Mercury said, "Sailor Moon, you should be thankful we were in the water. Sailor Mars did free us and the water protected us from any serious damage."<p>

Then they all realized that Skulker was also present. Sailor Mars explained, "You need to be grateful to Skulker as well. She appeared to me in my private quarters and told me you needed help. I called Venus on our communicators and told her where Skulker said you would be."  
>Sailor Venus added, "And as soon as I arrived Sailor Mars was also arriving along with her."<br>Alan and Anne knew at least that Sailor Mars was really Raye from when they had attacked her attempted concert stage show last night and they were half afraid of what might happen but they figured correctly that they'd probably be safe. They knew they had nothing to fear when Skulker pointed to the card on the ground and cried, "Oh no! Moonlight Knight! Who was it this time?"  
>The Moonlight Knight placed his hands on her shoulders and answered, "Mophead Skulker."<br>"Mophead?" She began to sob. "Thank goodness I wasn't here when it happened. Please let the aliens take her with them Sailor Scouts."  
>She really didn't have to ask them. They had grown to understand that there was some special connection between the Moonlight Knight and the Cardians and they all humbly kept still and silent as Anne floated down with Alan behind her. As she bent down and picked up the card Alan said, "You all win again this time, but we'll be back. Let's go Anne." They faded away and were gone.<br>The Moonlight Knight said, "Keep up your teamwork Sailor Scouts."  
>Skulker also said, "Unity is your greatest strength. We Cardians were once united too, but those aliens have bewitched them all."<br>Sailor Moon was amazed. "Moonlight Knight. Won't you please tell us who you are? And what is the secret of these Cardians anyway?"  
>The Moonlight Knight said, "That is not what's really important for you to know now."<br>"Hey but,"  
>Skulker said, "The Moonlight Knight and I have agreed that for now it is enough for you to know that we will always be summoned to your side to aid you. You only need to be ready to battle the alien forces at any moment's notice. Goodbye for now."<br>With that she and the Moonlight Knight both leaped up and away out of sight leaving Sailor Moon and her friends filled with wonder and awe.

Sailor Jupiter had completely forgotten about the curious co-incidence that she had heard one of the aliens playing a similar-sounding flute that Alan played. She was thinking longingly of the Moonlight Knight. "Whoever or whatever he is, that Moonlight Knight is such an audacious hunkster."  
>Hearing her say this Sailor Moon cried, "What? Are you after him now also?"<br>"It's just that he reminds me of my former boyfriend."  
>Upon hearing this Sailor Moon and the others all groaned and shook their heads, but Sailor Jupiter didn't care. She was thinking to herself that maybe one day she'd have the opportunity to invite him to lunch on his own apart from Skulker and then she would cast her spell upon his heart.<p>

Back at Alan and Anne's apartment, everybody was in tense disagreement. Peter and Jenny had played the audio taped evidence against Alan and Anne but though the rest of the aliens had been all equally shocked not all wanted to do away with their leaders. Out of the other sixteen remaining aliens since Fred and Bert had died, not counting Peter and Jenny, only five of them agreed with the assertion that they should get rid of them for their own good. The rest all wanted to give them a chance to either come to their senses or prove that they were really only playing with these earth people's feelings to strategically manipulate them as they heard them argue and explain to each other on the tape.  
>"Very well then," said Peter. "We will say nothing to them at this time. But Jenny and I will be carefully monitoring their actions and watching the tree. In another five or six days we will need to replenish the energy and if they do anything to hamper our progress then we will no longer be able to risk things. We will take over and ensure that things go smoothly for our cause without hang-ups."<br>At the conclusion to his words, everybody was nervous wondering what this would mean in the future.

As for when Alan and Anne returned home they had "bought" takeaway food to share together themselves. Hamburgers, chips, coca-cola and chocolate ice cream for dessert. They had bought it all for free because they used their mind control powers on the people at the fast food store. "I'm treating my sweetheart Anne tonight." He told Peter and the others. "You can all help yourselves to whatever you can find. Anne and I are bonding together in this way."  
>As she took a bite out of her burger Anne said, "Oh Alan. This is good. I love you. Next time I'll treat you for our dinner."<br>Peter and Jenny were very put out at this display. Particularly because it started the others all whispering among themselves.  
>"Alan and Anne really are devoted to each other."<br>"They can't be unstable."  
>"Perhaps we really must not misjudge them."<br>But Jenny knew where she could get a video camera. If the audio wasn't enough to convince everybody, she and Peter would film any further evidence. They were determined to prove their claims valid and fast. There was just too much at stake.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

It was a couple of days after the Sailor Scouts experienced their last encounter with Alan and Anne. The aliens were keeping quiet while the tree was still under subjugation but though Alan and Anne didn't know it, they were under trial observation. If Peter and Jenny caught evidence on film that they were indeed unstable when it was time to collect more energy, they would be in big trouble.  
>But for now things were quiet and easy and Anne had taken up reading earth storybooks. One of her favourites was the classic fairy tale "Snow White."<br>"I love this story," she thought to herself. "It's so romantic. I wish I could somehow give Darien a kiss to express my love in the same way that Snow White's Prince does towards her while she's in enchanted sleep."  
>She daydreamed with a big smile on her face as she put the book down, stretched out on her couch and closed her eyes.<p>

But later that day Alan appeared holding an advertisement flier. He showed it to Peter, Jenny and Anne in the main living room. "Look at what I found inside our mail box in the foyer downstairs! That young man named Darien is in the process of arranging a pantomime production with the Amateur Actors Guild beginning of next week. It could be the perfect opportunity to get fresh new energy for the tree."  
>Anne pricked up her ears as Peter took the flier and read aloud. "Hmmm! So the play is to be based upon the story of "Snow White" and this Darien is going to play the Prince. He's looking for volunteers to play the heroine and the rest of the cast."<br>"Oh! Oh!" she cried excitedly. "I have an idea. Let me go right down to the auditions this afternoon and land myself a role. Then I can spy on the place and make plans to gather energy."  
>Alan was a little suspicious of her motives but he felt he had no choice but to agree with Peter and Jenny present. But little did he or Anne know that Peter and Jenny were also deeply suspicious in their own right.<br>They told Anne to go and do her best and excitedly she went to the bathroom to get dressed. But she also anticipated possible competition for the part that she wanted. So she prepared some strings with coloured ends in a special way and placed them in her pocket before saying goodbye and heading off on her way.  
>Peter and Jenny were going to monitor this plan very carefully when it was in motion though. They had strong doubts that Anne would take her mission seriously. She may honestly mean to get some energy all the same, but if she had any other schemes on the side involving Darien they'd be sure to be lurking covertly at the theater with the video camera they had recently "purchased" at the store free of charge with their extra-terrestrial mind control.<p>

At the theater Anne found that her hunch had been correct. Inside the auditorium she discovered that poor Darien was beset with five squabbling girls. Serena, Lita, Mina, Raye and Amy all wanted to be in the play and they all insisted that they would be the best possible choice for the role of Snow White. Lita said she had the most talent, Raye said she had the best-looking hair, Mina said she was the most graceful,Serena was adamant that she was simply the fairest of them all and all Amy thought was that she should play Snow White because she was so busy with study and it would be the easiest role for her since she wouldn't have too many lines to learn since the character would be in enchanted sleep for half the play.  
>Darien tried to reason with them. "Come on girls. You can't all play Snow White you know. There are plenty of other parts available such as the evil Queen or the Huntsman."<br>"Who cares about those roles?" Serena obstinately shouted. "I just want to play Snow White."  
>"No I should get to play her." The other girls all insisted and Darien groaned as the argument was beginning all over again.<p>

But Anne made her move. She thought to herself, "That Raye is really Sailor Mars. At least one Sailor Scout will be present. But even so she won't be able to stop me kissing Darien before I make a move to gather energy from the audience at the end of the play."  
>With that in mind she boldly made her presence known. "Enough of this bickering. Look I have a perfect idea for deciding who will get to play the part of Snow White."<br>Serena and her friends stopped and stared at her. "Hello Anne. We didn't even notice you were here," said Serena.  
>"So what's your idea?" Amy asked.<br>When Anne had first peeked in through the doorway and observed them fighting she had made note of their number and ducking back outside unseen she furtively reached into her pocket and selected the appropriate strings and held them in her hand.  
>At this present moment she held them up explaining, "We can draw straws, but I don't actually have any on me, but these strings with coloured ends will serve the purpose. After you've all picked one there'll be one left for me if that's okay."<br>Mina said, "Sure okay. If you'd like a chance you're entitled to it." The others all nodded assent.  
>"Good," said Anne. "One of these strings has a white tip and the rest of them are blue. Whoever draws the white string gets to play Snow White. Everybody else will have to agree upon some other role." The girls all gasped as she held them out.<br>Serena stepped forward. "I'll go first. I'm sure I'll pick the white one." She took hold of one and gently drew it out. But it was blue.  
>"Oh no. I can't play Snow White," she wailed.<br>"Bad luck Serena," said Anne. "Next please."  
>One by one the others took their turn.<br>"Aw fiddlesticks." Amy held up her blue string. "I'll have to give up most of my vital study time to learn my lines for some other part now."  
>"Rats," growled Raye.<br>"I'm sure I'll get it now the odds are better," said Lita. But she was disappointed too.  
>That left Mina. "It's a fifty-fifty chance. Surely I'll pick the white string. Aah blue," she moaned.<br>All eyes were on Anne as realization sank in. Anne grinned and said, "Well if you're all blues," she pulled the last string from her hand and raised it up high triumphantly and they all gasped in dismay. "I have the white string and I'm going to get to play Snow White. Lucky me."  
>But while all eyes, including Darien's, were locked upon the white string held high Anne carefully placed her other hand casually inside her pocket and drew it slowly out. Not one person noticed this as she kept waving the white string and laughing and ya-hooing to divert their attention.<br>When she seemingly calmed down Darien smiled and said, "Very well Anne. You're Snow White. Now let's sort out what parts the rest of you will be playing."  
>Serena groaned and pouted. "It's just not fair."<br>Anne was very gleeful to think that her plan to set herself up for a kiss with Darien was on the way to success. The stupid humans had been completely hoodwinked.

So later when Anne returned home all the aliens gathered in the main apartment away from the tree to hear her report. "I'm in the cast of the play. I landed the role of Snow White."  
>"Snow White eh?" mused Alan suspiciously. He knew what the basic story was and who would be playing the role of the Prince of course. But he said nothing and Peter addressed Anne.<br>"So you will be ready at the conclusion of the play to slip aside and help Alan summon a Cardian to gather all the energy the audience will have built up while the rest of the cast is preparing for curtain call. Is that the plan as Jenny and I understand it?"  
>Anne confidently answered, "Yes that's right Peter. The audience will be enjoying themselves and they'll be ready to give a rousing cheer and applause at the final curtain. Then Alan and I will strike while the iron's hot."<br>"It does sound so perfect," Jenny remarked. But she and Peter were determined to spy on the show and capture anything suspicious that Anne, or even Alan may do.  
>Alan composed himself and said, "Okay Anne. We'll be set for it then," and all the other aliens were delighted and congratulated Anne wishing her good luck. Though there was albeit a certain amount of uncertainty and worry among them. This was the final test that would either cement respect for their leaders in their sight or disgrace them forever.<br>Anne was reveling in her excited anticipation. In the meantime though she needed to attend regular rehearsals each night for two and a half hours.

So in the light of circumstances Serena had reluctantly agreed to take on the part of Snow White's wicked stepmother, Lita was playing the Huntsman, Raye was playing the Spirit of the Magic Mirror and Mina and Amy ended up having minor roles as servants in the castle of the evil Queen. In the end it made Amy happy at least because it was a very small supporting role and she had even less lines to try to learn then she would have had even playing Snow White. And of course Darien had cast some of the community's little children to play the Seven Dwarves.  
>They all met at the theater each night along with Anne. Anne drove them all nearly crazy however with the way she insisted upon spending heaps of time going over the scene where Snow White is awakened by the Prince with a kiss. "This is the most important scene in the entire play. It's the big highlight. The smashing finish. So we must get it just right so that it is believable for the audience." Anne spoke like this while she was lying down on a long bench with everybody else watching. They couldn't believe how much Anne was going on about this scene.<br>After running through it a few times at the beginning of every night, Darien insisted that they also rehearse the rest of the play. But because Anne made such a big fuss he agreed to rehearse the kissing scene even more at the end of each rehearsal session.  
>Serena really hated this scene. "Thank goodness," she thought, "that at least she and Darien are not actually kissing each other."<br>That was true. Darien and Anne were only supposed to be acting so he was bending close to her face without really touching her lips. The audience would be unable to notice this fact generally from the distance they would be stationed at from the prop Anne would be lying upon in the center of the stage. However she was biding her time during rehearsals secretly intending to surprise Darien by planting a genuine kiss upon his lips. "Just you wait Darien," she thought with almost maniacal glee. "Our lips will meet and I'll be able to fully express my love for you on opening night."

The second night of this after Anne had left and Darien had taken the seven children with him in his car to drive them to their homes, Serena and the others were hanging around having a heated discussion. Raye said, "I don't believe how much Anne goes on about her role. Especially the final scene with Darien."  
>Lita grumbled, "Yeah. She's let it all inflate her ego and swell up her head. I don't know how Darien puts up with her."<br>Mina said, "Personally I suspect that she even cheated so she could obtain the cherished title role."  
>"What's that?" cried Amy.<br>Raye and Lita gasped and Serena was suddenly sticking her face in Mina's.  
>"What's that you say Mina? You think she cheated? How?"<br>"Yes what do you mean?" inquired Lita.  
>"Well it's like this," explained Mina. "After we all drew our strings I kept mine and took it home with me. While I was lying on my bed I had it in my hands looking at it. When two cars suddenly had an accident colliding on the road just outside my window the noise startled me so that somehow I accidentally tore the string. The blue tip tore off surprisingly easy. And it left a white tip that looked very much like the white string that Anne presented before our eyes."<br>Serena and the others were horrified. Raye said, "So she must have torn off the tip of her own string to make it white."  
>"And that's how she won the draw!" exclaimed Amy.<br>Serena was incensed. "But Mina! Why didn't you tell this to us sooner? We should have reported her to Darien."  
>"But Serena. I couldn't conclusively prove it," Mina argued defensively. "None of the rest of you kept yours for starters did you? And Anne would have denied it. Without her blue string end for strong evidence against her, even yours combined with mine wouldn't have been enough to convict her of cheating."<br>Serena interrupted Mina wailing. "Oh why did you let her get away with it so easily? You didn't even try, did you?" As she began to give out a low-pitched whine Raye silenced her by shoving her palm up in front of her.  
>"Serena stop that!" Her voice was so commanding that Serena did obediently quieten at once. "No crying! I'm not in the mood!"<br>Amy said, "Please let Mina finish her explanations Serena."  
>"Thank you Raye and Amy," said Mina. "Just think about it Serena. It would have been our word against Anne's. Who's to say the last string in her hand hadn't already been ripped to produce the single white one for the draw?"<br>"So there's nothing we can do?" cried Serena.  
>"Doesn't look like it," said Lita.<br>"But even though Anne does have her faults I can't help but feel a little sorry for her," said Amy. "She hasn't really made any friends since she moved here and when you see her she's always by herself."  
>Raye smiled. "You can't help but admire her determination and resolve in a weird way also. She wanted that part so badly."<br>Serena exploded with rage. "You shouldn't be so nice to her! She's a mean and selfish person! And she cheated! I'm going to talk to her even if you won't!"  
>"Serena. There's no proof," began Lita, but Serena was heading out the door.<br>"I'm on my way home. And I'll tell that Anne what I think of her the first chance I get."  
>When she was gone Raye folded her arms and sighed. "That Meatball-Head is going to make a fool of herself. Just like she often does."<br>Mina groaned, "I guess you're right unfortunately Raye," and Lita and Amy nodded in grim agreement.

But the following morning Lita and Amy knocked on the door at Serena's house and told her mother they thought they'd walk with her to school that day.  
>Her mother was very pleased. "How very nice of you both. At least she will get there on time for a change. Excuse me while I wake her up."<br>Serena was momentarily disoriented when she was woken but remembering she had to go to school she sat bolt upright crying, "Oh no! I forgot to set the alarm again!"  
>"Yes well, your friends Lita and Amy are here Serena," said her mother gently, "so you're not late yet this morning. Get dressed and eat breakfast. They want to walk with you."<br>Serena was pleasantly surprised so she prepared herself and sat with her friends while she ate some toast. But when they said goodbye to Serena's mother and also her father, who was getting ready to go to work, they began to seriously talk to her about what was on their minds.  
>"Serena, Raye contacted us and also Mina when we were all settled at our homes last night about something we need to speak to you about," said Lita.<br>"Huh? What could be so important that Raye couldn't have personally called me on my communicator as well?"  
>Amy explained, "It's like this Serena. When Raye arrived home she found Anne kneeling on the outside porch of the Cherry Hill Temple with Chad and her grandfather. They explained to her that Anne had gone there to quietly pray that the play would run smoothly and successfully on Sunday night. They obliged by praying with her and Grandfather even prayed some special blessings upon her."<br>Lita took over saying, "Raye was amazed that Anne would take the play so seriously that she would seek spiritual guidance for it. She and the rest of us think that despite her faults there surely must be some good in her and we should just allow her to keep her role."  
>Before Serena could raise objection Amy added, "And who knows? Maybe when this play is successfully over it may be the making of a whole new likable personality in her."<br>"So therefore we all want you to say nothing to upset her even though she might have cheated. Understand?"  
>Serena started to retort but at the stern looks of her friends she shut her mouth and said, "Oh very well. I still don't like her but I'll comply with your wishes."<br>"Thank you Serena," Amy said as she and Lita both smiled.

And so Serena had to grin and bear it all through rehearsals. But to add to her vexation her little brother Sammy taunted her the night before the big show while she was practicing her lines for the wicked Queen at home. He suddenly barged through her bedroom door startling her out of her wits. "Hey, I can hear your voice echoing down the hallway to my own bedroom door Serena. I can't wait to hear what you sound like tomorrow night."  
>A little suspicious Serena said, "Oh thank you Sammy."<br>But he held up a small paper bag and handed it to her. "Take a look at what's in here please."  
>Serena was puzzled as she took out some peanuts in an unopened plastic covering, a cob of corn, a piece of ham, a big screw and a baseball.<br>"What are these things Sammy?"  
>With a big laugh he told her, "They represent the words I use to describe your acting talent Serena. Nuts, Corny, Hammy and Screw-Ball!"<br>Then he ran off laughing while Serena snarled in rage. "Why that little beast!"

And so opening night arrived. There was a huge crowd of people including Serena's friends Melvin and Molly. Molly's good friend who played tennis, Katie Sandler sat next to them both and their respective parents were also present. Other significant faces included Miss Haruna, Mr. Baxter, Herbert and Helen Humphreys, Peter Fisher the photographer, Peggy Jones the artist, Grandfather, Chad, Serena's family and finally Sammy's good friend Mika sat next to him with her own mother. Alan was also in the audience. He was meant to slip away before the final curtain call and meet with Anne so she could choose a Cardian. But Peter and Jenny were also present though Alan and Anne didn't know. They were hidden above the stage in a darkened area of the roof. There they could stand on a vacant platform quietly without drawing attention to themselves and between them they were managing a very powerful zoom lens video camera so that they could secretly film anything that Alan and Anne did when they made their move. Whether their actions were proper or improper they were determined to capture everything for examination with the others.

As the story progressed Anne played Snow White to perfection and everybody cheered. The entire cast played their parts very well and even Sammy had to admit that his teasing of Serena did not add up to the quality of her acting. Although in truth she did mess up an occasional line and once also stumbled on stage, but to her credit at least she did not panic and lose it completely and Darien and the others all worked their way around her mistakes through improvisation. So secretly Sammy thought to himself that he did not owe her a full apology for his taunts at least.

The children who were cast as the Seven Dwarves were marvelous and their parents were all very proud of them. However as the play was nearing the end and Anne had bitten Serena's poison apple and fallen to the floor, Alan couldn't stand it anymore. He knew perfectly well in his heart what Anne was planning to do and he didn't want to watch it. He rose from his seat and apologizing to the people around him said, "I'm sorry. I need to go to the restroom. Pardon me."  
>So saying he excused himself and exited as if he were really going to visit the men's room. But instead he carefully slipped outside and ducked behind some bushes. Undercover he shed off his human disguise and took a card by himself. He wasn't waiting for Anne and he hadn't brought the deck for her to pick one. He had already chosen a Cardian himself and brought it along. He didn't just want to not watch what Anne was going to do. He wanted to stop it. Throwing the card up in the air as he began to play his flute, the Cardian appeared before him. She looked like a creepy clown in baggy coloured clothing, white face, red nose and lips and a spiked helmet on her head.<br>Alan spoke to her. "Cardian Pierrot. I command you to go inside that theater and put a stop to the performance. Disrupt the show and destroy the scenery. Go right now. There's no time to waste."  
>"I obey my Master." Pierrot jumped upon a unicycle and rode off faster than anyone would think a unicyclist could naturally go. Especially one with an open umbrella twirling around in her hand.<p>

Back on stage Anne was placed upon her open bier awaiting Darien to come so she could sneakily kiss him at last, but before Darien could take a step towards her the Cardian scooted through the center row in between the audience seats shouting, "The show's over!"  
>Everybody gasped, including Anne who was so shocked she sat bolt upright where she lay. "What's going on?" She was horrified as Pierrot made an unbelievable leap into the air at the foot of the stage and began to knock down all the props on her unicycle. The children screamed and ran offstage in their dwarf costumes and Anne started to scream and cry. "No! No! No! Everything's ruined! I was so close to kissing my dream prince!"<br>Even Darien ran offstage in a fright but Serena and the other girls only ran to duck into their privately shared dressing room as fast as they could so they could all transform. When they were all in their Sailor identities Sailor Moon shouted, "Come on! There's no time to waste!"  
>"Yes! Who knows what that monster is doing to the audience," cried Sailor Mercury as the five of them all raced out onto the stage where Anne was lying face down sobbing her heart out and Cardian Pierrot was just standing still on her unicycle in the midst of all the scenery and props she had destroyed. The audience were all mesmerized, wondering what was going on. They hadn't been attacked at all.<p>

When the Sailor Scouts appeared Sammy said to Mika, "Wow! This has been a most surprising twist to the show so far. A very different ending to the story of Snow White and I would never have expected the Sailor Scouts to be participating in it."  
>Mika said nothing. She was struck speechless like the rest of the majority of the audience were.<p>

But the Sailor Scouts were soon to feel even more astonished. Sailor Moon shouted at the Cardian, "Hey you creep! How dare you ruin the ending of the show tonight? In the Name of the Moon and our respective planets, my friends and I will punish you and we will not let you attack anybody."  
>"Yeah! So prepare to fight us!" said Sailor Jupiter.<br>"We will whip you good!" vowed Sailor Mars.  
>But Pierrot did nothing except turn and stare at the five of them while Anne carried on mourning the failure of her plans and hopes.<br>Sailor Moon said defiantly, "We're waiting for you to make your move."  
>But she and her friends all gasped in surprise and confusion as Pierrot said, "I'm not attacking anybody. My master only ordered me to destroy the ending of the play. I have no orders to attack you or anybody at all."<br>The five Scouts all chorused together in mutual disbelief. "WHAT!?"  
>Next thing Alan materialized floating in mid-air above the stage and everybody made further awestruck gasping noises. "Cardian Pierrot! What is going on?" He demanded angrily. "Why don't you attack them? And why haven't you taken any energy from all of these people?"<br>The Cardian looked up at him and truthfully replied, "Because you never gave me any such commands. I fulfilled what you said you wanted. I prevented the play from finishing."  
>Alan blushed beetroot-red as the realization hit him and also nervously flinched as Anne looked up and shot a glare filled with intense rage through her tear-stained face. "Oh ah. Well," composing himself he began to raise his voice, "right then. But now I'm commanding you, Yeeoow!"<br>Before he could finish his new order several thin threads suddenly flew down from above surrounding him and lashing at his body like the stings of a jellyfish. The Sailor Scouts looked up and gasped pointing. It was Skulker. While she distracted Alan the Moonlight Knight, who was floating in the air alongside her jumped to the ground in front of Pierrot. She just stared at him doing and saying nothing as she still had no command to attack. Though she would attack anyway to defend herself if anyone attacked her first. She may have been under the alien's control but she still retained some sense of self-preservation.  
>The Moonlight Knight spoke, "Sailor Scouts there's no need for any violence against Pierrot. Skulker and I think that between the best efforts of us combined with a little back up from the source that guides us to come to your aid we can liberate her. Skulker are you ready?"<br>"Yes Moonlight Knight."  
>Leaving Alan struggling to shake off the threads attached to him she descended next to Moonlight Knight in front of Pierrot.<br>She was defensive. "Who are you two?"  
>"You don't remember us or any of our shared past do you Pierrot?" The Moonlight Knight spoke kindly. "But if all goes well you will soon. Please trust us."<br>So saying he and Skulker reached out and placed their hands on Pierrot's shoulders and arms. Concentrating hard they combined their mental telepathic communications with the tree back at the alien's apartment. It was only just beginning to reach the stage where it was able to slightly resist the control exerted over it and it had told Moonlight Knight and Skulker it was hopeful that between them both they could just somehow manage to break through Pierrot's brainwashing. Then their position would be all the more stronger in the future with three of them united. Pierrot suddenly cried out and her body tensed as she felt the conflict waging war inside her. Would the good forces succeed?

As the Sailor Scouts and everybody else watched Pierrot slumped forward as her body relaxed. Then as she slowly raised her head and saw who were standing before her eyes she threw her arms around them both and cried out, "Moonlight Knight and Skulker! I'm so happy to be here with you though I don't know how we came to be here. What is going on?"  
>Skulker was so happy as she hugged Pierrot back tightly. "Moonlight Knight and I will fill you in Pierrot. For now we must leave."<br>Realizing what had just happened Alan quickly dematerialized for his own safety and Anne picked herself up and crawled off the stage. She'd had enough.  
>The Moonlight Knight spoke loudly to the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen. I'm sorry that this evening's entertainment was ruined. But my friends and I have helped the Sailor Scouts to chase away the evil before anybody was hurt thankfully at least. Give them a rousing cheer. They deserve it."<br>As the audience applauded, the Moonlight Knight and the others turned to bid the Scouts farewell. Though Pierrot still knew nothing she smiled at them as they vanished into thin air. Now that Pierrot was free she hadn't seemed so creepy after all. The Sailor Scouts were beginning to see these Cardians in a different light.  
>They thanked everybody for their appreciation but said they needed to go now. Excusing themselves with a big bow in the spotlight they slipped away and making sure they were not seen by even one of the children who played the Dwarves, re-entered their dressing room and resumed their secret identities.<br>In their hidden alcove up above Peter and Jenny carefully handled the video camera. "Let's go Peter. This should be enough to fully discredit Alan and Anne in the others' eyes."  
>"Yes Jenny. We will plan our strategy against them and act appropriately. There must be no compromises."<br>Then they dematerialized too taking the camera with them.

Later back at their apartment Alan and Anne regretfully reported the "failure" of their mission to Peter, Jenny and the others in the room where the tree was kept. Peter played his part cool and well. "That is unfortunate to hear. And a real shame to hear that another Cardian has defected. But we still have time to come up with a better plan and we can tell you that there is at least one good thing that happened tonight. We have succeeded in forcing the tree to divulge the secret as to how the rogue Cardians can be completely destroyed."  
>This was the truth. When Peter and Jenny had beat Alan and Anne home they had been informed by the others that they had finally broken through the trees' resistance. This was while it had been struggling hard to help the Moonlight Knight and Skulker free Pierrot from her brainwashed state. It just simply could no longer fully hold back while concentrating on something else. It was very worried and was sending a message to the Moonlight Knight and the other two to be careful.<br>Alan and Anne were very keen to hear this and Peter explained it to them in front of the whole gang. "This is very exciting," remarked Alan.  
>"Yes. We will need to make a good plan to trap those renegades. But for now I'd like to speak to Alan privately in our sleeping quarters if you don't mind," said Anne.<br>Alan wanted to speak to her too, even though he wasn't looking forward to it. He had words for her that he didn't want the others to know the same as she had for him. So Peter and Jenny excused them and they left the main bedroom where the tree was kept and walked to the spare bedroom which they had the privilege of calling their own as the leaders of the invasion force.  
>They both controlled their feelings until they had shut the door behind them and then began their argument in moderate voices so that the sound wouldn't travel.<br>"It's not fair Alan! It's just not fair! Why'd you have to deviate from the plan and send a Cardian of your own choosing to spoil my big moment that I worked so hard for?"  
>"You think I'm stupid Anne? You think I didn't know what you were really planning?"<br>"I just wanted to be Snow White! The big scene with the Prince was the climax of the performance!"  
>"What do you mean you "just" wanted to be Snow White? Wasn't gathering energy what the whole overall purpose was supposed to be?"<br>"Energy? Who cares about energy? I wanted to kiss my Prince and fall in love!"  
>"Exactly! You wanted Darien to be your Prince Anne! Why should I tolerate your affections for a mere human in place of me?"<br>"Who are you to talk Alan? What about that Serena? I bet you secretly wished you could play the Prince and she play Snow White! And you failed the mission by not telling that Cardian to gather energy! So don't accuse me of neglecting the mission!"  
>"Now see here Anne,"<br>And they continued to bicker back and forth but what they didn't know was that even though they were talking very quietly with a tight rein on their anger, Peter and Jenny had secretly had their room bugged while they were out that night and the microphones could pick up every word they said and clearly broadcast them to all the other aliens in the back bedroom. Peter and Jenny had also been showing them the contents of the video camera on the television and old VCR player they had acquired. Combined with the evidence of the microphones this served to sever all trust any of them had with Alan and Anne.  
>"They've really gone off the deep end," gasped Sally.<br>"They'll be sure to bring about our downfall," cried one of the males.  
>"Shall we kill them or what?" asked a female.<br>"Don't panic." Peter called for order. "We need to be sensible about this. If we were to eliminate them we'd have everybody at the school wanting to ask me and Jenny where our "son" and "daughter" are. No, we must do this right and I have a plan to overthrow them. Listen to me."  
>And so they all moved in close to hear what Peter's plan was.<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

The very next day after the incidents at the theater was Monday. The beginning of a new week of school. As was usually the case Serena was running late and she was panicking trying to compose a good excuse for Miss Haruna when she arrived.  
>Just as the bell was ringing she was only arriving at the entrance to the school building. "Oh! Oh! Oh! I am so late!" she panted and puffed as she ran up the stairs to her classroom taking them two at a time.<p>

As she ran through the door she stumbled and fell flat on her face. "Yeeaaaargh!" She screamed and moaned as she hit the floor. But she felt kind hands on her shoulders and a gentle voice speaking to her.  
>"Serena. Are you all right?" As Serena turned her head she saw it was Miss Haruna.<br>"Oh yeah. I-I'm okay Miss Haruna. But I'm so sorry I'm late. You see I,"  
>But even as Serena tried to think up an excuse there and then, Miss Haruna gently cut her off smiling. "Save it Serena. I'll overlook your lateness this time because I was so concerned to see you fall."<br>Then she helped Serena get to her feet asking her if she was sure she wasn't injured. "No, I was only shook up Miss Haruna. I'm all right really."  
>Serena remembered how concerned Miss Haruna had been the time when she had gone without lunch. She was so touched that she grinned at her and made her way to her desk. Then Miss Haruna instructed everybody to get their English books out. "Turn to the poem on page 68 I instructed you to read and study for your homework over the weekend and be ready to answer questions."<br>At that particular moment Serena felt a pang of hunger. She had rushed off in such a hurry today that she hadn't even eaten breakfast. Though she had remembered her lunch bag. Acting on a sudden impulse she used her open book as a cover while she quietly drew one of her sandwiches out of her bag and took a bite. Unfortunately however Miss Haruna chose her first at random.  
>"Serena read the first two lines please."<br>Serena almost choked and made a muffled sound. Miss Haruna was momentarily concerned about her again. "Serena?" She went over to her desk and pulled the book aside. She gasped when she saw the sandwich in Serena's hand. "SERENA! You actually dare to eat in my classroom? Oh, I don't believe it!"  
>She was starting to look angry for sure and Serena swallowed the mouthful she'd been struggling with and sheepishly said, "Would you believe I need some extra energy to help me study today?"<br>But Miss Haruna raised her voice and cried out, "No, I'm sorry Serena. I can't overlook this second offence. You have detention today."  
>"Aw no. Not again." Serena bowed her head accepting the inevitable and put the rest of her sandwich back in her lunch bag.<p>

Then Miss Haruna turned her attention to Anne instead. "Anne. Will you kindly read the first two lines of the poem please?"  
>However Anne was still feeling rather cross with Alan for spoiling her chance to plant a surprise kiss upon Darien last night and she looked up saying gruffly, "No thanks. I'm not in the mood."<br>Everybody's eyes were fixed on Anne disbelievingly, even Serena's. Miss Haruna was trying hard to keep her temper at this unexpected act of student insubordination immediately following her encounter with Serena and she stammered, "E-excuse me Anne. When I tell you to do something you are obligated to obey me."  
>With her thoughts full of her grudge against Alan, Anne talked back without even looking at Miss Haruna. "Well I don't feel like obeying you at the moment. I'm too hung up over what happened last night before my big finale scene when I was playing Snow White."<br>"Anne. I was there in the audience and I can assure you that there would have been far worse things to be upset about than the spoiling of the end of the play if the Sailor Scouts hadn't been around," answered Miss Haruna. "So please pull yourself together and participate co-operatively in class thank you."  
>But Anne persisted with an emphatic "No," and Miss Haruna had had enough.<br>"If that's the way you feel Anne, you can join Serena for her detention with me later today."  
>"Whatever." Anne really didn't care a fig about anything that morning and Serena was agog at the thought of sharing detention with her of all people.<p>

Later during lunch break Anne met with Alan privately on the roof of the school building while the rest of the students were generally congregating in the grounds below. He was shocked to hear what had happened to her. "You need to go to detention soon you say? What did you think you were doing? You're supposed to be helping me orchestrate a very important attack on the school staff and students from the inside today. We desperately need energy after what transpired last night."  
>She sneered at him. "Yeah, well I couldn't think straight because my mind was stuck on the events of last night. Before I knew it I had landed myself in trouble. Of course it never would have happened if it wasn't for a certain somebody's misdemeanours."<br>Alan took a deep breath and said, "Anne let's not start that again please. There's no time to spare." He produced the Cardian deck and said, "Before you leave quickly select a good Cardian for me to send on a rampage throughout the school. Anyway perhaps Miss Haruna herself will make an excellent victim with the anger energy she has built up with you now?"  
>Anne remembered how she once observed Miss Haruna yelling in rage at Serena in class on a previous occasion and how she had wickedly thought about sacrificing her life force somehow to provide energy for the tree one day. Thinking about her death in this way felt like the prospect of sweet revenge after having been roused at and given a detention by her. She forgot all about her resentment with Alan for the time being and smiled. "Sure okay." Then indicating her choice with her forefinger she made a card fly up into the air.<p>

Before either of them could do anything else however a familiar voice cried out, "Anne? Are you up here? Anne?"  
>Alan quickly put the cards out of sight and mentally willed the one Anne had picked to fly over and land on top of the roof of the small structure where the stairs led out through the doorway onto the roof. He was only just in time as Serena came bounding into view puffing and panting. As soon as she saw that Anne was indeed present she ran up to her and grabbed her arm ignoring Alan. "Oh Anne! I've been desperately looking for you. Our detention is due to begin in ten minutes. Come on! We can't be late or Miss H will extend it to include tomorrow as well. Believe me, I know from experience." By this time she was dragging Anne in amazement down the stairs with her. Even though Serena couldn't stand Anne, she had such a good heart that she would never wish the wrath of Haruna to fall upon anybody. Not even her worst enemy.<br>As Alan watched them go he thought to himself, "Anne didn't tell me she was sharing this detention with Serena." Then with a shrug he said, "Oh well. I'll get my flute out and summon the Cardian that she picked just before she was rushed away. Then I'll order it to run rampant and attack victims beginning with that intimidating Miss Haruna. But I'll make sure to explicitly state that Serena and all her close friends must not be touched. I may be getting soft but I just can't bear the thought of Serena being too upset."

So Alan glanced carefully around to make sure he was alone, shed off his human disguise and rose up into the sky with his magic flute in hand, picking up the Cardian from where it lay as he ascended. But little did he know that Peter was waiting and ready to materialize and ambush him with two other aliens, Max and William. As he made the card hover in mid-air he was about to put the flute to his lips, when the other three aliens surrounded him with ropes in hand. As they tied him up very fast he shouted, "Hey! What is the meaning of this treachery?"  
>Peter said to him, "You are no longer worthy to be our leaders, you and Anne. Jenny and I are taking over. Max is going to take you back to our apartment and leave you bound up in the room with the tree, while William will fill in for you the rest of the day at school."<br>Before Alan's startled eyes William transformed into the perfect mirror-image replica of his human identity before dematerializing to find a careful opportunity to reappear somewhere unobserved in the school grounds. Completely out of sight he materialized behind some bushes and peering through the foliage he made sure the coast was clear before he crawled out and sat down so that to anybody who walked past from that point on it would seem like they noticed "Alan" sitting next to a bush by himself.

Then Peter took the magic flute in his hands and waved a mocking goodbye as Max vanished with the real Alan struggling in his bonds and cursing.  
>Peter put the flute to his lips and played the usual tune and the Cardian's physical form appeared as the card first grew to life-size as usual. Removing the flute from his lips Peter said, "Cardian Insectia. I summon you to do my bidding."<br>This Cardian known as Insectia had green skin, light-blue hair, long, pointed ears and two small yellow horns. Her black and orange boots, gloves and other clothing made her resemble a humanoid-like bumble bee.  
>"I am here to serve you master," she said as she bowed to Peter.<br>Peter chuckled as he replied, "We need lots and lots of energy. Come follow me all over the city and attack anybody we find."  
>Insectia was almost crazy with frenzy by the spell she was placed under. She eagerly said, "You lead me and I'll attack all who cross our path."<br>"Good," said Peter and he flew off with the Cardian right behind him.  
>Alan and Anne had assumed the plan was merely to attack the people at the school today but Peter intended to ravage the city for all the energy it was worth. He was very pleased that Insectia had been the Cardian the pair of dupes had selected. She would keep on going until everybody in the city was either dead or half-dead, including eventually the school anyway. Alan was their prisoner and they would also get Anne when they had the chance.<p>

Speaking of Anne, she and Serena were currently in their classroom with Miss Haruna for their detention. They were seated at their usual desks with sheets of writing paper, pencils and erasers and Miss Haruna explained what the task of their detention was. "I want you to write me an essay of at least four pages with a structured beginning, middle and end on the subject of "Why School Is Important To Me" and be warned, any smart-alec remarks and I'll double the minimum number of pages."  
>Suddenly Miss Haruna's best friend, the sewing teacher Mrs. Humphreys appeared at the open doorway. She was as white as a sheet as she spoke. "Pardon me Patricia. There's an emergency phone call from your mother. Your father is in hospital."<br>Miss Haruna gasped in horror with her hand to her mouth. "Oh my goodness. Keep working girls. I'll be back. Thank you Helen."  
>While she and Mrs. Humphreys quickly rushed off together Serena was suddenly very worried. Could this be the work of another one of those Cardians the evil aliens used?<br>Anne was also wondering in a different way. She had been hoping Alan was going to send the Cardian to attack Miss Haruna first. Then she would have been spared the humiliating degradation of being forced to write this essay. But then she thought perhaps Alan had planned it this way to get Miss Haruna away in order to try to protect Serena. The idiot.  
>While Anne was fuming, Serena was hoping with all her heart that the other Sailor Scouts would be able to cope with this threat while she was stuck in detention. Even with Miss H gone she couldn't transform or even leave with Anne present.<br>In barely fifteen minutes Miss Haruna came back aghast and barely able to control herself. "Girls. I need to go and meet my mother and drive to the hospital to see my father. He's in stable condition thankfully but he's very weak after some creature apparently attacked him."  
>Anne and Serena both knew it was a Cardians' work now and Anne said nothing silently gloating.<br>Miss Haruna said, "I will be back to collect your essays as soon as possible. I am trusting you both to honour your detention commitment in my absence. Goodbye."  
>But before she could leave Serena boldly jumped out of her chair crying, "Wait Miss H. I want to say something." She actually grabbed Miss Haruna's arm and for one moment she was feeling annoyed. But she softened as she saw the tears building up in Serena's eyes and sensed what they meant. As the two of them stared at each other Serena said, "Please be very careful."<br>Miss Haruna fought to hold back tears of her own and said, "I promise I'll be careful Serena. Now get back to your essay."  
>Serena immediately sat back down and watched with a teary smile as Miss Haruna exited at a dash.<br>Anne was actually taken aback by this exchange of affection. But she brushed it aside thinking, "Hmm. Maybe while Miss Haruna is gone I can get an opportunity to kill Serena with my own hands and make it look like our Cardian did her in. Then she will never distract Alan's heart from me again."

In the meantime Raye had been enjoying lunch break at her own school hanging out in the cafeteria with her friends. They were all eating, laughing and chatting together at their tables when suddenly with an enormous crash the wall caved in and Cardian Insectia burst through the hole followed by Peter. Everybody screamed. "What is going on?"  
>"Monsters! Help!"<br>"Let's get out of here!"  
>But Insectia pounced upon the nearest table of students at Peter's prompting. "That's it Insectia. Drain their energy."<br>Peter had been leading this Cardian all around the city leaving a trail of severely weakened people in their wake. The barrage of energy was so intense that the poor tree felt like a person does suffering electrocution. Insectia was crazy and lashed out at anyone including the occasional animal. Peter didn't care though. Insectia was the most powerfully rampant Cardian in the entire pack and this was perfect for their desperate needs. With her they'd pour enough energy into the tree to eventually brainwash it just like the Cardians themselves. Moonlight Knight and the others were very worried. They knew what was happening but the tree was too bombarded to take the time to tell them where to go. He told Skulker and Pierrot they would just have to alert the Sailor Scouts and seek their help.

But right now Raye was desperately urging her friends to run for their lives out the back door. The cafeteria ladies were trying to also flee. Insectia had turned her attention to them having left a few student bodies slumped on the floor or in their chairs. Raye ran out after the last of her friends pulling out her communicator. "I must let the others know about this," she said.

So even while Moonlight Knight and his friends were on their way to the Sailor Scouts' various schools, Raye had contacted Mina and she in turn had contacted Lita and Amy. But they had told her about Serena's detention having heard about it from Molly and Melvin. So Serena's communicator in her bag did not go off while she sat writing at her desk.  
>Even Luna and Artemis were running as fast as they could to Serena's school to rally the team as soon as they had heard word of the sinister goings-on.<p>

At the moment though Anne had secretly changed into her alien form and was sneaking up behind Serena while she was trying to think of her essay. "Why else do I like school?" she asked herself out loud. "Oh I know. To spend time with my friends."  
>Anne prepared to spring from behind and grab her around the neck. She figured that if she could strangle Serena she could run to the teachers hysterically putting on an act about how she had been attacked by a monster. They'd buy her story with the things that were currently happening.<br>But just as she lunged at Serena, she dropped her eraser and bent down off her chair to pick it up. With a cry Anne fell onto Serena's desk and it toppled over taking her with it.  
>"Anne!" Serena cried in shock. "What happened?"<br>Anne had skilfully managed to resume her human disguise as soon as she fell and turned to Serena as she picked herself up. "Oh. I was just taking a break from doing my essay to stretch out those writing cramps," she raised her arms up and down above her head as she spoke, "and I'm afraid I lost my balance."  
>"Oh, I can relate to that Anne. It sounds like the sort of accident I might have. It's lucky you didn't land on top of me. I hope you're not hurt."<br>"I'm fine Serena." Anne helped her to put her desk back in position and returned to her own thinking, "I'd better try to write a little bit of my essay so it won't look like I was slacking I suppose. I'll have another try at Serena when I do half a page. It was kind of nice of her to ask if I was hurt as well." She smiled then grimaced. "But I can't go soft. She must die unfortunately. Unfortunately? Why did I just think that word?"  
>Anne was beginning to feel mixed-up and in her state of mind she sat for a short while, but she never wrote anything on her paper.<p>

By this time Raye and Mina had transformed and left their school grounds, journeying to Amy, Lita and Serena's own school. Amy and Lita were also transformed and met the other two just outside the school gate as Luna and Artemis were also arriving. Artemis puffed and said, "Oh good. We ran as fast as we could but we're so glad to see you girls have already come to hear about this new string of horrible attacks."  
>"But where is Sailor Moon?" asked Luna fearing the most probable answer.<br>"She landed herself in detention," said Sailor Mars with a disgusted gesture.  
>Luna and Artemis both sighed in despair. "Ah well. There's no choice but to scour the city without her for now," said Artemis.<br>Suddenly Sailor Venus gasped as three familiar figures materialized in their midst. "It's the Moonlight Knight and those two Cardians who teamed up with him."  
>Pierrot sat astride her unicycle remarkably perfectly still and completely balanced with Skulker standing on her left. The Moonlight Knight himself stood in the center but much closer to the Sailor Scouts forming a basic triangular formation with his two friends.<br>"Sailor Scouts," he proclaimed, "this is a very intense situation. Our source can't even tell us where we should go to meet the current threat. Therefore we have come to you first. But where's Sailor Moon?" He asked this looking around and Sailor Mars sighed.  
>"As I just said, she's in detention." She sighed and thought to herself grumpily, "Hope I don't have to repeat myself anymore today at all."<br>"Detention?" said Skulker.  
>"What is that?" queried Pierrot.<br>"Oh no. Let someone else try to explain it to them." Raye was thinking this with exasperation and annoyance, but fortunately nobody needed to attempt to tell the Cardians what it meant because the Moonlight Knight suddenly took authoritative action.  
>"There's no time to waste. You lot must all scour the city searching for the source of these terrible attacks and in the meantime I shall lead Skulker and Pierrot in an attempt to rescue Sailor Moon from this detention or whatever it is that the enemy has her caught in. Follow me my friends."<br>With that he leaped through the air over the gate, Skulker rose into the air and floated along after him and Pierrot zoomed through the open gateway on her unicycle with her umbrella open and twirling round over her head.  
>The Sailor Scouts and the cats were somewhat flabbergasted but Sailor Mars said, "Ah well. Let them work it out for themselves. Come on it's true. We have an urgent task to perform."<br>With a mutual response of "Uh-huh," they all ran off to try to seek out the insanely zealous Cardian and her master.

While Moonlight Knight, Skulker and Pierrot were trying to search the school for the place where Serena was being held prisoner to their way of thinking, they found it slightly difficult due to all the students' reactions. They stuck out like three sore thumbs and as the students pointed at them some of them began to scream and panic thinking they were going to be attacked. The Moonlight Knight said, "Pierrot. Use your umbrella to put them all to sleep."  
>"Yes Moonlight Knight." She spun her umbrella round and round out in front of her and everybody they met dropped into a deep sleep from which they would awake unharmed an hour or so later. But William, who was impersonating Alan of course, immediately transported himself back to the apartment before the hypnotic effects could reach him to give a report about this.<p>

At that moment Anne had decided to have another try at strangling Serena before she changed her mind. "There'll be no escape this time," she thought as she changed into her genuine appearance once again. Serena was crouched over her essay paper writing hard as Anne reached out for her neck. She was watching very carefully to make sure Serena didn't drop anything to give her reason to suddenly duck down like last time. But Anne was taken by surprise again in a different sort of way. Serena suddenly raised her hands above her head as she yawned very deeply. Before Anne knew it the pencil Serena was holding jabbed her up the nose. Fortunately since Serena had been writing at the time it was the smooth end that entered Anne's nose, not the point. But it still hurt a great deal. "Aaaaaarghhh!"  
>Serena was concerned to see what had happened. Despite the pain Anne had managed to quickly disguise herself so Serena saw human Anne holding her nose in agony.<br>"Hey. I'm sorry Anne. What were you doing looking over my shoulder? Are you having trouble with your essay? If you wanted help you should have just asked me."  
>Anne was too busy leaning on a desk to avoid collapsing due to dizziness, pain and shock and couldn't say a word.<br>Serena stood up and walked over to look at Anne's paper. "Goodness Anne. You've hardly written anything. Miss Haruna will be very angry. If you're stuck sit down with me and I'll help you. Miss Haruna isn't here to raise objections. I just hope she doesn't suddenly come back and catch us."  
>Anne thought about how furious Miss H could become and to be honest she didn't want to experience any more. So she forgot all about wanting to put a choke hold on Serena and pulled up a chair next to her. "Very well thank you Serena," she said and with that Serena proceeded to help Anne write her essay.<p>

As they worked together Anne felt rather strange and yet also happy. Serena was so very nice to her and she wasn't used to being treated nice. This was so different even from the "kindnesses" of Peter, Jenny and the rest of their "friends". She and Alan had grown up to their teenage years knowing nothing but constant pain and misery from their respective sets of parents. The beatings and the starving and all the other forms of cruelty had seared their hearts so badly and filled them with violent resentment. Then when they had run away together and met the juvenile delinquents they had fostered their ill feelings by telling them that all authority figures were as cold-hearted as their parents. Punishing their parents had felt so wonderful and the gang had urged them on to continue to payback the rest of their "enemies" through juvenile crime and as they all grew older, they progressed to the ambition of sadistic dictatorship and universe conquest they held now. But this contradicted everything they had believed. Serena was so sweet and affectionate that Anne realized the last thing she wanted to do was kill her.  
>"I don't understand," she thought. "But Serena is so very sweet. And I now realize that even the liking I took for that handsome earth man Darien went against all I ever believed before. He should have been considered my enemy, as much as anybody else in the universe. This is incredible."<br>"Hey Anne. Are you all right?" asked Serena.  
>"Wha? Oh yeah, I'm fine Serena. I was just thinking to myself about how nice it's been to spend time with you today."<br>Serena's face beamed jovially. "You know something Anne? I was thinking the exact same thing!"  
>"You-you were?" Anne was getting even more gobsmacked.<br>"That's right. I must confess I always used to think you were rather mean and nasty. But since we came to share this detention together I've come to see a new and very likable side to your personality that I never imagined was there Anne."  
>Serena blushed rather ashamedly when she said this but Anne felt even more shameful. "If only you knew that I tried to strangle you twice Serena. If only you knew how much blood really is sticking to my hands, back on my planet as well as here on yours. Oh woe is me. Woe also to my darling Alan. When he realizes how very wrong he and I have been he'll be devastated too. But we can never make amends for our misdeeds. We're murderers."<p>

Just then the school bell rang signaling the end of lunch break. "Oh, the other students will be turning up for afternoon's classes soon," said Serena. "Miss H must still be at the hospital. I hope her dad is really going to be okay."  
>Little did Serena realize that Miss Haruna had already come back from visiting her dad with her mum, but she, like practically all the rest of the school had been taken by surprise and placed into a harmless sleep by Pierrot.<br>Serena went on further to say, "Thank goodness we were able to finish your essay together Anne. If she makes me stay in detention tomorrow to finish my own I don't care."  
>Anne was fighting hard to hold back her tears. "Th-thank you Serena. I- I need to rush to the girls' restroom. Please tell Miss Haruna I'll be back soon."<br>"Sure, okay Anne. I'll explain this to her and give her your essay too." Serena smiled and took the essay as Anne ran for all she was worth. She was intending to run to the restroom all right. But all she wanted to do was cry her guts out in there. She felt so hopeless. Wretchedly polluted.

But no sooner had Anne run off and out of sight than the Moonlight Knight, Skulker and Pierrot came racing up from the opposite direction. Moonlight Knight knew that Serena was Sailor Moon of course. He had once appeared at her bedroom window to deliver a warning about the intended attack on the Kindergarten bus. Serena and her friends had never thought to wonder how he had known her identity at the time, but the tree had limitless knowledge and had told him. In fact he and his two friends knew the identities of all the Scouts.  
>But anyway as soon as he saw her he called out, "There you are! Have you somehow escaped from detention?"<br>Serena was surprised at his words but stammered, "Um, well. I g-guess you c-could say I've broken f-f-free." She didn't understand what he meant but she knew if they were here things must be serious.  
>Suddenly her communicator rang and she answered it to find Sailor Mercury on the other end. "Sailor Moon. We found the Cardian with the alien who's controlling her. The others are trying to fight them just outside the library."<br>"I'll be there with back-up Sailor Mercury. MOON CRYSTAL POWER!"  
>Transforming into Sailor Moon she turned to the trio who faced her. "We must get to the library pronto."<br>"We can get you there in no time Sailor Moon," said the Moonlight Knight. "Skulker and Pierrot. Support her."  
>Before Sailor Moon knew it Skulker had risen into the air and tied threads around her arms and legs. "Hey! What do you have in mind?" She yelled but without an answer Skulker lifted her up onto Pierrot's shoulders. Pierrot folded her umbrella and crossed her arms over Serena's legs. Then she peddled off while Skulker zoomed along overhead holding her steady in place with the threads. As the Moonlight Knight followed alongside in leaps and bounds Serena wailed, "Couldn't we have taken a cab?"<p>

But the Cardians held her steady and in barely five minutes they arrived at the library. Serena felt a little shook up but she was unharmed. While the Sailor Scouts were trying to battle Insectia, who was so very strong and agile that she dodged nimbly even their upgraded power attacks that they threw at her, Peter called out, "Moonlight Knight! You have interfered with our invasion plans for the last time! I know now that your weakness lies in the destructive power of this magic spell that was created by a powerful court magician back on our planet."  
>Skulker and Pierrot both gasped in fright, but the Moonlight Knight stiffened his resolve. "Between the three of us we have enough power within ourselves to free Insectia from your brainwashing. Sailor Moon, if you please attack and keep him occupied while we concentrate."<br>Sailor Moon obligingly took off her tiara forming the scepter that she hadn't had any chance to use for awhile. "MOON SCEPTER ELIMINATION!"  
>While Peter ducked and weaved the blast that emanated from Sailor Moon's weapon, Skulker and Pierrot bravely joined the Moonlight Knight in leaping together at Insectia. Between Skulker's threads and a whip-like tendril shooting forth from Pierrot's umbrella, they actually managed to ensnare Insectia's legs and lower body torso before she could jump away. Concentrating hard they directed their reserves of psychic strength through the bonds into Insectia while the Moonlight Knight added his, throwing his arms around her upper torso.<br>Luna and Artemis yelled to the other Scouts to help Sailor Moon while Peter fought back after dodging the attack of the scepter blowing Sailor Moon off her feet and onto her back. Though the girls tried their very best Peter seemed to be a very strong opponent and knocked them all over like a bowling ball making a perfect strike against a set of pins.  
>But Insectia momentarily slumped down and raising her head seemed much more relaxed and sanely normal as her friends released her. "Moonlight Knight! Skulker! Pierrot! You've rescued my mind from its bondage. I thank you, but I can remember what has been going on. I was always trying to shake it off. That's why I was so madly full of passion and zeal. But they used me. And he," pointing her finger at Peter, "he has forced me to do his evil bidding attacking innocents and sometimes killing them."<br>Taking even the Moonlight Knight by surprise Insectia suddenly gave an enormous leap screaming, "You will feel my vengeance you evil slime!"  
>Peter was taken by surprise as Insectia grabbed him by his collar and one of his arms and began to shake him hard. But he managed while struggling to place the tip of his finger on her forehead and recite the dreaded magic spell. Sailor Moon and her friends recovered in time to see what happened along with Luna, Artemis and the others. It wasn't a pretty sight.<br>Insectia's body suddenly jerked in violent spasms as she released Peter. She shrieked and groaned as the movements took full control of her and then she burst into tiny pieces like particles of sand flying everywhere. The Moonlight Knight and the others all screamed horrified and as Peter prepared to swoop down upon them Luna shouted, "Hurry Sailor Scouts. Do whatever you can to protect them."  
>Sailor Moon's four friends all attacked together.<br>"VENUS SHOWER!"  
>"MERCURY ICE BUBBLES FREEZE!"<br>"MARS FIREBIRD STRIKE!"  
>"JUPITER THUNDER DRAGON!"<br>The four of them all used their upgraded, revamped power attacks that they had recently acquired one by one and as Peter halted in his tracks and turned wide-eyed at the sound of their booming voices he gave a huge gasp to see their attacks all combined bearing down on him. But he only just dematerialized in the nick of time. He was gone back to the apartment. He made a mental note to never again face off against those Sailor Scouts on his own. They were too powerful. Numbers were needed for safety and assurance of victory.

When it was over Skulker and Pierrot both burst into bitter, unstoppable tears and the Moonlight Knight had a teary voice as he explained to the Scouts what had just happened. "We successfully freed our good friend Insectia from the control held over her. But now she has been destroyed absolutely forever."  
>"But I thought they could be restored?" Sailor Moon said in confusion.<br>The Moonlight Knight bowed his head. "Twenty-five years ago on the planet we came from, the King had a court magician who was secretly planning to kill him and assume his throne. The magician devised a diabolical magic spell which would render Cardians to a state of destruction from which there could never be any restoration. The all-knowing guiding source from which we came forth sent a telepathic message to the King and he set a trap for the magician. He had a poison slipped into his wine glass at the dinner table the day before he was going to make his move against him. It may seem rather cold-blooded, but it was the only way to prevent him ever using that spell. He would have wiped out all the Cardian force."  
>"So how did that alien find out about the spell?" asked Sailor Jupiter.<br>"The aliens have kidnapped the source and somehow succeeded in tapping into its knowledge. That's how they first found out there was something that would destroy any Cardian that resisted their mind-control. The source held the full facts back for as long as it could but it had already warned us that the secret was finally let out."  
>The Sailor Scouts, Luna and Artemis were all aghast to learn of this. The Moonlight Knight would say no more about the source so they comforted and consoled the grieving Skulker and Pierrot. They let them cry on their shoulders and gave them tissues to wipe their eyes and blow their noses. Then the Moonlight Knight said, "We must go for now and plan our strategy. We need to proceed with caution or we will end up like poor Insectia. Take care Sailors."<br>Then they were gone in two seconds.

The Sailor Scouts all returned to their respective schools. Afternoon classes had already long begun but Raye and Mina showed up at their schools each with the cover story that they'd been spirited away and the Sailor Scouts had rescued them. When Amy, Lita and Serena arrived back at the school they all shared they found everybody only just waking up, so they didn't even know they'd been gone. But they told everybody that the Sailor Scouts had protected them, thank goodness. The principal decided to cancel the rest of the school day under the circumstances, so everybody went home.  
>Before Serena left though she and Anne handed in their detention essays to Miss Haruna. "Good work Anne," she said with obvious pride. "Serena. You can finish yours at home and give it to me tomorrow. I don't feel much like extending your detention after all that's happened."<br>"Thank you Miss Haruna." Serena smiled at her gratefully and she smiled back. Anne smiled too but little did anybody know she wasn't the real Anne.  
>When Peter had breathlessly returned to the apartment he had sent Jenny, Sally and another female named Susan to the school. They had psychically sensed where Anne was crying in the restroom and materializing before her, they had grabbed her and tied her up, just like Alan.<br>William had of course materialized outside the girls' restroom in his Alan disguise and met Susan as she came out disguised as Anne.

Anne was now re-united with Alan bound up but not gagged on the floor nearby the big bed where the tree sat. Alan had already had time to think about things and he had come to the realization that he had tragically allowed his abusive past to steer him down the wrong path through the bad example of these evil, sadistic criminals. "Oh Anne." He sobbed. "I love you so very much. I wish we could undo all the atrocious acts we've helped this mob perpetrate."  
>"I love you too Alan. I feel awful knowing how many have died, even if not by our hand at least with our co-operation somehow. Our hands are tainted forever."<br>"Forgive me Anne. I shouldn't have been so blinded by my anger and resentment."  
>"I am equally to blame Alan. We may be able to forgive each other, but our deeds are unforgivable before a court of justice."<br>The gang of aliens all began to mock and scorn them. Max guffawed and pointed at their faces. "Look! Even Alan has tears in his eyes. We were completely wrong in our assessment of them. They were never of the same caliber as the rest of us."  
>Another male cried, "Yeah. They are as weak and simple as the humans on this planet we came to conquer."<br>"Feeling remorse for killing? Of all the pathetic things!" exclaimed a female exasperatedly.  
>Peter said, "You may have some small consolation that you won't have to live with yourselves much longer. As soon as we defeat our enemies on this planet we will execute you after our own tribunal of justice sentences you. Till then you can cry together and fret between yourselves."<p>

The rest of the aliens all laughed together fiendishly. But the tree was feeling pain for them. It was deeply grieving the loss of the Cardian Insectia and Alan and Anne's sorrow cut to the center of its thick trunk. "I must try to help them," it thought to itself, "try to mentally communicate to them and offer comfort. True they can never undo all the lives they have taken but they are different none the less from the rest of these despots. Their hearts are painted totally black. They are beyond repentance. Alan and Anne have always been potentially good. I must show them my compassionate love and mercy."

Only time would soon tell where things were going to go from here.


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

Peter, Jenny and the rest of the alien invaders were busy making plans to destroy the Sailor Scouts and their other opponents once and for all. They had all their Cardians on hand, including the previous ones that had been through the restoration process as good as new. As the acknowledged spokesman Peter declared, "We need to eliminate the Moonlight Knight and his two friends first before we try sending our Cardians in force to destroy the Sailor Scouts. The last time I encountered them they were able to restore Insectia and I was forced to destroy her. We can't risk losing any more of our Cardian slaves."  
>"Agreed Peter," said Max. "Do you have a plan in mind?"<br>"We can use one of our most powerful Cardians Four-Face to gather energy for the time being. You all know that Four-Face was considered the strongest Cardian of them all. She was their leader by mutual agreement."  
>"Four-Face?" Sally and some of the others gasped. She continued with concern. "But why use the strongest Cardian Peter? If she gets freed from our control it will mean dire straits for us."<br>Peter smiled. "Ah, but I suggest that at least twelve of us accompany Four-Face when we send her off. I reckon between us all we could keep them from being able to work together to free her. Even if the Sailor Scouts should happen to be present if we command Four-Face to destroy them while we fight and separate that troublesome trio I could use the magic spell I learned from the tree to do them in one by one."  
>William said, "Hey! That is a very ambitious idea. It just might work if we all co-operate."<p>

All this time Alan and Anne were still tied up wallowing in their own self-pity. Their arms ached from being constantly secured behind them and they were well-nigh worn out from weeping and from hunger. Their so-called former "friends" wouldn't even give them anything to eat. They were by now too weak to even cry anymore. The tree was very worried. It didn't want to lose any of its other precious Cardians the way it had lost Insectia. And the thought of how massive a potential fight Four-Face could give even the Sailor Scouts was concerning. Even if the Scouts did eventually win, Four-Face could all the same keep them occupied long enough for the aliens to carry out their sinister intentions to overpower and destroy Moonlight Knight, Skulker and Pierrot. "I must warn them about this danger," it thought. "I must also keep trying to make Alan and Anne hear me speaking to them."  
>As weakened as it still was it made a valiant effort to convey its psychic messages.<p>

At school Miss Haruna gave notice to her class that Alan and Anne's father, Peter had given the principal a phone call to explain that they were at home sick with whooping cough. Serena was very distressed to hear this bad news. "I must ask Amy and Lita if they will join me in paying a visit at the apartment complex on our way home today. Just so we can ask their parents if they are going to be all right." Serena had become rather fond of Anne since they had shared their time in detention together and Alan had always seemed so nice and he appeared to like her from the start.  
>At lunch break she caught up with Amy and Lita. "Sure I'll go with you Serena," said Amy.<br>"Thanks Amy. How about you Lita?" Serena asked.  
>Lita was a little hesitant. "Well, I don't very much care for Anne's attitude when I was trying to get to know her brother a little better. But I'll join you for his sake."<br>So it was agreed. They would call at the apartment together after school.

"Well, here we are girls," said Serena nervously as the three of them stood at the apartment door after having first inquired at reception desk what number they wanted. Serena pressed the bell and Peter and Jenny answered. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Granger. We're friends of Alan and Anne from school. I'm Serena and this is Lita and Amy. We called in to check they were all right."  
>Peter looked over his shoulder at Jenny who winked at him and he winked back. Turning to face the girls he smiled and said, "How very thoughtful of you. Please come in and sit down. Can I offer you some hot chocolate?"<br>The girls accepted the invitation so they entered and sat with Jenny while Peter prepared the chocolate.  
>"So how are Alan and Anne feeling at the moment?" Serena asked Jenny.<br>"They're not feeling very well at all I'm afraid," she replied with mock concern.  
>"Oh dear. That's terrible," said Amy.<br>"Has a doctor been to see them?" asked Lita.  
>"Peter and I are going to call a doctor tonight and arrange for a house call in the morning," said Jenny while Peter walked in carrying the tray full of cups, saucers and the steaming mug of hot chocolate.<br>As he set it down he said, "Yes. We're both very worried about them. I'm afraid you won't be able to see them. They're in bed in that room over there." He pointed to the main bedroom as he spoke.  
>Naturally impulsive Serena had to stand up and go over to the door saying, "Is it okay if I just take a peek at them?"<br>"No!" cried Jenny and Peter ran over and put his hand firmly upon the door just as Serena was about to pull it open.  
>"We'd much rather you didn't risk disturbing them at all," he told her. "They need to be able to rest if they're going to recover."<br>Serena blushed as she went and sat back down. Amy was frowning at her and Lita said, "Serena! How could you be so irresponsible?"  
>Peter smiled as he followed her. "It's okay. We understand she's only worried about our dear kids. She means well. We're not offended."<br>"Now drink your hot chocolate before you go," gestured Jenny.

After they were finished they said goodbye and departed.  
>"That was a close call Peter," said Jenny.<br>"Yes, but we couldn't have risked harming them. Their parents or friends may have known they were visiting here. Thank goodness I was able to stop her in time."  
>They were making plans to unleash Four-Face upon their enemies soon. Nothing could afford to go wrong.<p>

The next day at school Amy was excited. "Guess what Serena and Lita! I had some exciting news when I was on Skype with Greg last night! He's coming for a weekend holiday with his parents! He'll be arriving at five o'clock this afternoon!"  
>"Oh, that's marvelous Amy." Serena was overjoyed at the thought of seeing Greg once more.<br>"Where will they be staying?" asked Lita.  
>"In a motel. But they've agreed to let Greg have his dinner at my house. He's asked me to invite you and the others too."<br>Lita and Serena were getting thrilled indeed. They knew Raye and Mina would be too.

But when five o'clock came and Amy and the others met Greg and his parents at the train station platform Greg was very worried. He wanted to tell the girls something very serious as soon as he had a chance.  
>The girls said hello to his mother and father and they greeted them warmly. "How very sweet of you five to come and greet our son. It's wonderful to know he has true friends here whenever he comes to visit," said Greg's mother.<br>Greg's father said to him, "We'll give you some time to yourselves while your mother and I go to collect our luggage. Then we'll go check into our motel."  
>"Thanks Dad," replied Greg with a smile.<br>The girls all began talking to Greg at once, but as soon as his parents were out of sight he desperately shushed them. They were wide-eyed and attentive as he spoke softly. "As the train was coming here I had one of my premonitions. A dire attack is planned within the city tonight commencing at around half past seven."  
>Everybody gasped and Amy said, "Can you tell us anything specific Greg?"<br>"I know some facts Amy. The attack will come from this apartment number in the high-rise apartment building."  
>The girls were tense to hear those apartments mentioned, but they were shocked when Greg told them which apartment it was precisely.<br>"B-but that's where Alan and Anne live with their parents?" gasped Serena.  
>"Are you sure about this Greg?" asked Raye.<br>"Yes. I sense that the monster, whatever it is, will be summoned from behind a bedroom door in the apartment."  
>Serena, Amy and Lita all cried out, "The bedroom they said Alan and Anne were laid up inside sick!"<br>"Could Alan, Anne and their parents be those evil aliens in disguise?" exclaimed Lita.  
>"Oh no. Alan's a nice fellow. Anne has her faults but that doesn't make her a monster," said Serena disbelievingly.<br>Amy said, "Serena you may not want to believe this, but we must trust Greg's vision. We need to urgently check things out."  
>Raye said, "I think you should go there first by yourself and get in somehow using that magic disguise pen device Luna gave you while the rest of us report to Luna and Artemis. Then as soon as Greg and his parents are settled in their motel room, we'll say that we'd like to take him out for a walk and go to back you up as soon as possible."<br>The others said it sounded like a good plan so Serena sighed and said, "All right. I'll do it. But I'm sure Greg must be mistaken. I'm sure we'll find it must surely be one of the other apartments."  
>"Whatever," Raye said with a sigh. "Anyway we will join you as soon as possible."<p>

At that moment Greg's parents returned with their luggage. "Okay Greg. Let's go to our motel," said his father.  
>"Right Dad and Mum. I'll see you all later. Bye Amy." Amy was the only one he said goodbye to directly by name and she giggled as she waved to him. But then Serena set off to go to the apartment block while the others all ran off to see Artemis and Luna.<p>

While Serena was on her way she thought long and hard constantly about what Greg had said. Could Alan and Anne really be heartless, sadistic aliens? She didn't want to believe it, but she had to check it out. As she was walking she heard a familiar voice call out behind her. "Hi there Meat-ball Head."  
>She turned around to see Darien smiling and waving at her with a bouquet of flowers in his hand.<br>"Hi Darien." She cheerfully waved back at him. "Hey! Where are you going with those flowers?"  
>"They're for Anne. I'm on my way to see her at her apartment. I heard that she and her brother are sick."<br>This stung Serena like a wasp in her heart. She started to tremble and sob. "Y-you never gave me f-f-flowers whenever I was s-sick Darien."  
>"Chill out Serena. Don't be jealous. Anne is just a friend to me nothing more. She helped me out so very much when I was organizing that play we did of "Snow White" remember?" Darien reached into his pocket and for a moment Serena thought he was going to give her a little something. But he pulled out a boy's watch and said, "I even bought this for Alan. It wouldn't feel right if I gave a get-well present to Anne, but not him. See ya later."<br>Pocketing the watch he set off on his way to the apartment building still clutching the bouquet.  
>For one instant Serena murmured resentfully, "I helped you a little bit with that play too you know." Then she said, "Oh great. I'll have to discreetly follow him and appear in my disguise with him also present. But of course Greg will be mistaken about that apartment. I just hope Darien will not be in the way when the threat emerges from the apartment it's really inside." So staying at a distance in hiding she tailed him to the building.<p>

As soon as she saw him enter she pulled out the special pen.  
>"DISGUISE POWER! CHANGE ME INTO A DOCTOR!"<br>She was sure Darien wouldn't be able to see through her disguise. She wasn't even sure he had ever found out about her magic disguise device while he still had his memories. She went inside and saw him talking to reception. "Er. Pardon me." She nervously spoke slowly. "I'm a doctor sent from the hospital to check on the progress of Alan and Anne Granger."  
>The receptionist lady said, "Oh I see. This man is actually going to their apartment with a couple of presents. You can go together."<br>Darien turned and yes indeed, he did not seem to recognize Serena. "Hello Doctor. I'll be delighted to act as your escort. Alan and Anne are being well looked after I'm very pleased to observe."  
>"Thank you sir. Shall we go then?" Serena smiled clutching the Doctor's bag that was part of her disguise in her left hand and raising it towards her chin. Then she entered the elevator with Darien and in no time at all he knocked on the door with her standing just behind him.<p>

When Peter opened the door he was astonished to see Darien who held out the bouquet and dug the watch out of his pocket. "Hello Mr. Granger. I'm a friend of your daughter's. I was the prince in the play she starred in. I heard she and her brother were feeling ill so I brought them presents to cheer them up."  
>Peter took the watch and the flowers and smiled. "How very kind. Won't you come in?"<br>"Thank you. And this person's a doctor. The hospital heard about your kids so they sent her to check on them."  
>Peter raised his eyebrows and exclaimed, "Well well. This is another pleasant surprise. My wife Jenny will be very pleased. Both of you enter please. I'll let you visit Alan and Anne while the doctor looks at them. What's your name young man?"<br>"It's Darien sir," said Darien as he and Serena entered closing the door behind them.  
>Peter met Jenny in the main room and handed her the presents. "Jenny. Look at these. This fellow Darien here brought some get-well gifts for our poor kids and this lady is a doctor from the hospital."<br>When Jenny heard this she looked at Darien and Serena with a joyful expression. "How very lovely. Will you both come with me this way please?"  
>As she led them to the door that Peter had prevented her from opening yesterday Serena was striving to convince herself that upon entering she would find Alan and Anne tucked up sick in bed and she would merely need to play the role of a physician as best as she could.<p>

However as soon as Jenny opened the door Peter appeared out of nowhere from behind and shoved Serena and Darien inside while Jenny shouted, "Four-Face! Destroy these two people! Drain all their life's energy away!"  
>Serena and Darien raised their faces from where they had landed on the floor to behold a humanoid figure in an orange robe and a cross bar hat with two-dangling chains wrapped in the same orange material. She had six arms and appeared to be perched cross-legged atop something that resembled a large pink flower floating in mid-air. It was impossible to tell if she had more than two legs for the robe covered them. They were shocked as the figure grabbed them both with all her hands. But what was most alarming was her head. It could rotate 360 degrees to reveal that she had four similar looking faces, each of which displayed a different emotion. While they struggled the creature roared. "Beware Four-Face!" Then she displayed each of her faces one after the other stating each one's personal mood. "Happy! Angry! Sad! Confused!"<br>All the aliens were laughing at the sight. Alan, Anne and the tree were lying in their usual positions and in the next few seconds Four-Face would drain these two victims to husks.

But suddenly everybody, including Serena and Darien seemed to hear a powerful booming voice echoing in their heads. "ENOUGH! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!"  
>Several of the aliens gasped as they realized their worst fears had come true. "The tree is broken free of our control!"<br>"This is terrible!"  
>"Oh no!"<br>Four-Face wasn't scared. She had no frightened face after all, but her head spun round to bring her confused face to the forefront. "Huh? What's going on?"  
>The tree suddenly began to grow and expand its branches. It gently picked up Alan and Anne so they wouldn't be crushed like the bed was while other branches literally whipped around the terrified aliens tying them up. The tree burst through the door and Peter and Jenny knew they were in for a literal fight to the finish. Serena, still in her disguise was scared out of her wits as she and Darien watched two branches wrap themselves around Four-Face, still confused and crying out, "What's happening? What's happening?"<br>The tree lifted her into the air and slammed her hard into the floor. While she lay groaning and slipping into unconsciousness, she seemed to hear the tree saying only to her ears, "Forgive me Four-Face. But for your own safety's sake it's best you are tied up and knocked out for the time being."

In the meantime the rest of the apartment buildings' residents and the staff had reacted naturally to the commotion. People screamed as they felt the walls begin to shake and plaster began raining down from the roof. The manager had punched the emergency evacuation siren and called out on the intercom. "It feels like an earthquake! Everybody don't panic! Make your way calmly down the stairs! Do not, I repeat do NOT try to use the elevators. Don't try to save any of your possessions! Your lives are more important! The staff will be on hand to help you evacuate!"  
>The tree itself sensed of course that all these innocent people needed to flee the building so it paused its growth while they all left their rooms. Even those who would have been in the especially awkward position in the above floors. They were all guided down the stairs to safety by the staff as quickly and as carefully as possible.<br>In the meantime the tree even picked up Darien and Serena. Serena tried to run away and screamed as the branches seized her. She feared she and Darien were going to be smashed into the floor just like the Cardian had been, but in reality the tree was holding them safely out of reach of Peter and Jenny. It knew those two were ready to fight with all the power they had on hand and it didn't want them taking Serena or Darien hostage to gain any extra advantage. It hoped it would be able to hold off its full attack until the last of the people were safely out of the building. Peter was using the magic flute to bring all the Cardians to life ready to fight for them as Jenny threw them out of the deck she had shuffled one by one. Vampeal, Minotaur, Faraion, Nacrid, Racy, Vulturos, Amphibia, Mophead all sprang forth from the confines of their cards along with many others, a mixture of both male and female, all Peter's to command as one fighting force. The tree knew it couldn't wait much longer. It needed to be ready for the inevitable attack.

Thankfully it could sense that at least all the people above had made it to the lower levels, so it spread its branches out upwards through the roof and upper walls as everybody screamed and the manager and his staff pleaded with them not to panic as they were exiting the reception lobby before running for their lives.  
>Reluctantly the tree also began to push down its roots ever so slowly. Fortunately nobody was hit by the pieces of falling plaster while they were in the process of evacuating. The last of them successfully escaped as the roots were let down very fast once the tree sensed they were all out of danger. The roots dug down into the building and spread out onto the immediate sidewalk. Lower branches also burst through the walls. It was such an extraordinary sight to behold. But not very many of the people looked back over their shoulders. They just wanted to get far away from whatever it was. But the tree was now ready to fight the Cardians as much as it hated the thought of having to.<p>

In the meantime Amy, Lita, Mina, Raye and Greg were arriving just as the last of the people were running and screaming in the other direction. As they all brushed past them, some of them nearly knocking them over in their panic, Amy said, "Wow Greg. Whatever the threat is that you saw it must be terrifying indeed."  
>Greg shut his eyes and said, "I can hardly believe what I'm seeing myself Amy. But we must hurry. Serena is in danger and so is Darien."<br>"Darien!?" Raye gasped and Luna and Artemis, who had jumped up onto a nearby post box to avoid getting trampled said that there was no time to lose.  
>They all ran as fast as they could towards the apartment complex and they saw what Greg meant. It was unbelievable.<br>"Sailor Scouts! Transform!" Luna commanded and they all responded as one.  
>"MARS POWER!"<br>"MERCURY POWER!"  
>"VENUS POWER!"<br>"JUPITER POWER!"  
>Before Greg's eyes the Sailor Scouts transformed and Sailor Jupiter stepped forward to take initiative. "JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!"<br>She attempted to blast a way through the roots for them to enter. But it didn't work. "Oh no!" She cried in dismay. "Not even a scratch!"  
>"But we must get in!" cried Sailor Mercury.<br>"We have to save Serena," said Sailor Venus.  
>"And Darien too," said Sailor Mars.<br>How were they going to accomplish this urgent task? It was looking very desperate.

TO BE CONTINUED!


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

Sailor Moon's friends were still trying to figure out how they could get inside to save her and Darien. Greg shut his eyes and said, "I can sense that this tree is a very powerful living being with intelligence. But it's not really evil. It wants you girls to help save it."  
>They were all amazed to hear this. Sailor Mercury gasped, "Is that really right Greg? Sure it's not trying to trick you?"<br>Sailor Mars stepped forward concentrating hard and said, "I can read the tree's mind. What Greg has told us does appear to be the truth." She reached out and placed her hand on one of the enormous roots and it moved aside. So did several others making a clear pathway through the entrance.  
>"It looks like we have no choice but to trust it," said Sailor Jupiter.<br>"And besides," added Sailor Venus, "Greg's vision has been spot on so far."  
>Luna said, "Let's all go then. But be very careful all the same. We don't know for sure what we'll find."<br>Artemis said, "Sailor Mercury. You keep an especially close watch on Greg."  
>"Of course I will." Sailor Mercury and Greg smiled at each other with twinkles in their eyes. Then they joined hands and followed all the others into the building, the two of them taking the rear.<p>

As they entered they found the roots continued to move out of their way. Incredibly some of them pointed like they were gesturing towards the stairs and the roots on the staircases further hinted by lifting up and twisting, clearing the way for them to ascend as best they possibly could. "It looks like we must ascend to the apartment in question," said Sailor Jupiter.  
>"Let's go then," said Sailor Venus.<br>"Stair climbing again," sighed Sailor Mars taking her high heels off. But she climbed very slowly and gingerly to make sure she did not stub her toes on the large roots. Even the other Scouts and Greg still wearing their different assorted footwear were taking their time. They didn't want to trip over the roots, nor bump their heads on any overhanging ones for that matter. The tree was trying to make a clear path for them but it couldn't do so completely.

In the meantime the tree was still holding Serena (still in her doctor disguise), Darien, Alan, Anne and even all the rest of the aliens as far above and out of harm's way as possible. Peter and Jenny had finished summoning the entire fleet of Cardians and Peter screamed out commandingly, "Attack and subdue that big tree! Destroy it if you really must! And all those creatures coiled in its branches if necessary!"  
>The other aliens were horrified. "Peter no!"<br>"Not us too!"  
>But even Jenny was unfeeling. "Sorry. Peter did say only if necessary. But chances are it probably will be. Your hard luck."<br>"If any of you are lucky enough to survive we will try to make you comfortable," said Peter. However he and Jenny were laughing together as he said this. It was clear that Peter and Jenny only cared about each other at heart. If one of them had been caught by the tree, the other would have done anything to save his/her partner. But couldn't have cared less about any of the others. The old saying "No honour among thieves" equally applied to alien invaders as all the others realized to their terror. But the tree, amazingly caring soul that it was, strove hard to its utmost to protect them all as it swung its free branches to strike at the charging Cardians and parry their attacks. Still some of them succeeded in slashing or hacking at the branches and the poor tree winced in pain. It ended up losing its grip on Darien and Serena. Darien cried out in alarm and only just managed to grab onto the twisting branch before he fell. But Serena was quick to take immediate advantage of the moment to transform herself in mid-air. "MOON CRYSTAL POWER!"

As she used her super-human agility to hurl herself at Darien she caught him round the waist with one arm and wrapping her other arm around the branch she gently slid down it. "Don't worry Darien. I have you safe and sound.  
>Darien was astounded. "Y-you're Sailor Moon!"<br>He didn't know what else to say. In fact he fell into a dead faint.  
>Peter and Jenny noticed her when she reached the trunk at the end of the branch and nimbly jumped down to the ground.<br>"It's Sailor Moon Peter!" Jenny pointed and shouted.  
>"Some of you Cardians destroy her!" yelled Peter.<br>Sailor Moon quickly lay Darien down gently and turning to stand in front of him she pulled off her tiara which changed into her Moon Scepter of course. "I'm Sailor Moon! Defender of the planet Earth! I know these Cardians aren't my real enemies and I won't really hurt them permanently. But I'll get to you two monsters if I'm a lucky fighter and you will be fully destroyed. MOON SCEPTER ELIMINATION!"  
>She brandished her scepter well at a couple of Cardians whose names she didn't even know and reduced them to blackened cards as they attempted to attack her. But even with the ones who were still battling the tree, Sailor Moon could never hope to hold them all off. Unless her friends arrived in a hurry sooner or later a Cardian would be sure to wound her. Or even worse.<p>

Just then a voice called out, "Sailor Moon!" Turning her head just a little Sailor Moon saw that it was Sailor Venus who had cried out to her and the others were also looking concerned.  
>"My friends. You're here."<br>Sailor Mars shouted, "Watch out Sailor Moon! MARS FIRE IGNITE!" She sent a fireball zooming over Sailor Moon's head scattering two random Cardians who had been about to attack her at the same time.  
>"Keep concentrating on the battle Sailor Moon. We'll back you up," cried Sailor Jupiter.<br>Greg stayed back with Luna and Artemis as the Scouts advanced to fight, though Sailor Mercury still took up her position standing just a few feet in front of Greg to seek to protect him. As they all used their attack powers skilfully even the Cardians who were not hit were disoriented and thrown off their guard allowing the tree to capture them one by one. Its branches were like fast lassos and Mophead, Minotaur, Vampeal, Nacrid, Faraion, Amphibia, Vulturos and Racy were among the various Cardians who were trapped and couldn't fight anymore. Sailor Moon and the others quickly turned all the rest into blank cards needing to go through the process of renewal.  
>Peter and Jenny were not ready to give up yet though.<p>

"We have a trump card up our sleeve and it isn't another Cardian," said Peter as he and Jenny rose into the air side by side.  
>"Even our sonic booms will give the tree a nasty shock," said Jenny as they thrust their palms out towards the branches and with a deafening crash they actually snapped off and the tree shrieked in pain.<br>Sailor Mars made a valiant attempt to stop them. "MARS FIREBIRD STRIKE!" Her fireballs formed into a menacing dragon-like phoenix of flame and bore down upon the two aliens. But to her dismay Peter and Jenny just stared at it unemotionally and an invisible shield stopped it from reaching them snuffing it out like a candle. The others all tried, Mercury, Jupiter and Venus all at once. Still the shield deflected everything they could throw at them.  
>"You're on our turf now," exclaimed Peter.<br>"You Sailor Failures," laughed Jenny as she and Peter proceeded to deliver a constant barrage of sonic booms that knocked them all to the ground and made them jerk and writhe in painful spasms. The Sailor Scouts, Luna, Artemis and even Greg were being attacked just like the tree and all the aliens and Cardians in its branches. Even Four-Face was shocked out of consciousness, her whole head spinning round and round with pain on all four of her faces. "AAAAARRRRRGGGHHHH!"  
>Only Darien was mercifully not under attack lying where he lay fainted and forgotten about.<br>Sailor Moon groaned and thought to herself, "I must try to do something," as she desperately rolled over to get out of range still clutching her scepter.

Raising herself awkwardly to her feet she crossed her arms holding the scepter in both hands bracing herself against the force exerted by the aliens. It took all her strength to stand her ground but Peter and Jenny gave a concentrated blast together and she was blown backwards losing her grip on the scepter which rolled away and turned back into her tiara. "You'll never win. You'll all be destroyed."  
>But no sooner had Jenny finished saying this then a familiar white rose flew through the air straight past the line of her and Peter's vision. As their concentration was broken they turned along with Sailor Moon and everybody else to see three familiar figures standing atop a stationary curled branch of the tree. It was Sailor Moon who cried out in excitement. "Moonlight Knight, Skulker and Pierrot!"<br>The Moonlight Knight replied, "This is a very serious scene Sailor Scouts."  
>"But take heart," said Skulker.<br>"These evil misfits can be defeated," assured Pierrot.  
>"Misfits?" shouted Jenny.<br>"You forget we can destroy you," Peter retorted, however before even Sailor Moon could do or say anything an extraordinarily, surprising thing happened.

Alan and Anne launched themselves from where they had been held by the tree towards Peter and Jenny. As Alan tackled Peter and Anne began pulling Jenny's hair, Peter yelled, "Hey! What's this? Where did you get such energy from? And what happened to your bonds?"  
>While Anne and Jenny were having a violent cat-fight, Alan wrestled roughly with Peter and gave explanation as he did so. "How do you think the tree successfully managed to break free from the final vestiges of control over it? It had been quietly speaking to my mind and Anne's mind. It told us that while we could do nothing to change our misguided, sordid past we could gain some redemption if we exerted what little strength we had left in helping it to be able to prevent more killing and terrorism. We both listened and knew we must do what we now know to be the right thing and as we secretly concentrated the tree helped us in turn by giving us small traces of energy back. When it was free it cunningly used the tip of the branch that held us to slip under the ropes and snap them releasing us. Finally it siphoned off some part of all the other aliens' energy and transferred it to us revitalizing us in full."<br>And so Alan and Peter punched and kicked each other and Anne and Jenny scratched and bit. To the Sailor Scouts' astonishment the Moonlight Knight and the other two all sprang into the air and each one grabbed an individual Cardian in the tree's grip and combining his or her strength with the strength of the tree, they broke through the brainwashing restoring their friends to their senses. Then they did the same to another Cardian each and so in this way they were all redeemed three by three. As they were all united as one they responded by taking the aliens prisoner. They were weakened from the tree's giving their energy to Alan and Anne and none of them could fight or resist as the Cardians gathered them together and tied them all up in pairs back to back.  
>But suddenly Sailor Moon and her friends heard the tree calling out in their minds, "Please help Alan and Anne. Please do."<br>With this Sailor Moon remembered something from a good long time ago. King Lune-Eclipsus, Queen Serenity and Nephlite had all appeared to her and told her that if she fought courageously she would be rewarded with the power to restore the memories of her sweetheart Darien. "Wait you girls," she raised her hand as they began to run towards her making them pull up to a halt. "I believe this is a fight I need to handle myself."  
>The others were reluctant to comply but Sailor Mercury said, "Well if you're sure Sailor Moon. But we will be watching and we will intervene if we see fit."<br>Upon hearing these words the other three expressed agreement. Even Sailor Mars, though she secretly thought it slightly foolish and hoped that Sailor Moon wouldn't regret her choice.  
>Luna, Artemis and Greg all watched awed though a tad worried of course.<br>Sailor Moon ran across and picked up her tiara where it lay. It changed once more into the moon scepter and she turned to run towards the aliens' battle which was beginning to turn extremely violent.  
>There were streaks of blood on Anne and Jenny's arms and faces where they had bitten and clawed each other respectively and they were now in the process of trying to rip out chunks of their hair.<br>Meanwhile Peter was getting the upper hand on Alan and after landing a crippling blow to his solar plexus, doubling him over was proceeding to kick and stomp on him.  
>Sailor Moon sprang into the air without shouting out or making her presence known. She lashed out with one leg as she leaped high. It was incredible how Sailor Moon could aim so perfectly under circumstances such as this without clutzing up. Her kick missed Anne but the sole of her boot connected to Jenny's face with a horrible crunch. She stumbled backwards away from Anne with blood spurting from her nose and collided back to back with Peter while he was preparing to land another painful kick to Alan. They both collapsed in a tangled pile and Sailor Moon landed next to Alan shouting, "Your wicked invasion stops here in the Name of the Moon." And before Peter or Jenny were aware of it, Sailor Moon raised her scepter and shouted, "MOON SCEPTER ELIMINATION!"<br>The rays shot out from the tip of the scepter and as it struck the two aliens, they convulsed and screamed before exploding into absolute nothing. Their tiny atomic particles even seemed to dissipate into the atmosphere before they could settle on the floor. Peter and Jenny were no more.

At that moment the tree began to glow very brightly indeed and as the light shot out illuminating all the area surrounding it, Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Venus, Luna, Artemis, Alan, Anne, all the Cardians and even Greg found themselves inside a different dimension. The only ones missing were all the alien prisoners who were still safely tied up and Darien who, of course, was still unconscious.  
>"Where are we all?" cried Sailor Moon.<br>Alan was staggering to his feet and said, "I think we have all been transported inside the mind of the tree itself."  
>Then the tree spoke and all could hear it even more audibly clear than when it would speak to their own minds in the usual manner. "That is correct Alan. Sailor Moon and friends. I want to fill you in on my background and the background of these children of mine, the Cardians."<br>So the tree began its story.

"I was first planted and cultivated over a century ago on the planet which Alan and Anne come from. The inhabitants were astounded to discover that I was different from any other ordinary tree. I had the ability to communicate telepathically. It took them a little while to figure out it was I speaking to them, but the King of the planet was so impressed that he appointed me his royal advisor and the guiding force for the peace and protection of all his people. I instructed his majesty to create magical soldiers from my bark. They produced cards with pictures drawn on them and part of my wood was used to carve a magic flute which could turn them into physical, living immortals. They were indestructible and served to punish wrongdoers and uphold justice on the planet. There was one time however, when an evil magician created a spell which would make it possible to terminate the Cardians."  
>At this point all the Cardians shuddered and trembled, and so did the Moonlight Knight. The tree went on: "By my powers of all knowledge, I was able to alert the King and he had the magician executed before he could use the magic spell or pass it on to anybody. Only I knew about it. But then all the trouble started when the royal palace was broken into and the magic flute stolen."<br>"But how could that have happened, if you are really all-knowing?" asked Sailor Moon.  
>"That, I am ashamed to say was all my own fault," said the tree sadly. "I am all-knowing in the sense that I can read people's minds. If I don't take the time to read them however, then I won't know what they're thinking. Thankfully I always made it my business to keep tabs on everybody associated with the king in any way at least. But my big mistake was in underestimating the ambitions of the gang of juvenile delinquents Alan and Anne had associated themselves with. I thought their criminal activities would be easy for the king to handle with the aid of the Cardians. But little did I realize until it was too late when they broke into the castle and stole the flute while everybody was asleep. They also discovered the deck of Cardians stored in the drawer by the King's bedside. They skilfully stole it without disturbing his slumber. Then they figured out how to use the magic flute to summon them and exert forced control on them to start with. Then eventually they upgraded the control to a full thorough brainwashing, making them believe they were serving good forces. It hurts me to recall how they took over the planet and stole huge quantities of energy through the Cardians and put me under their thumb. Directing the energy of their victims into me weakened me and made it impossible for even I to fight against them until now."<br>After a pause during which Sailor Moon and her friends tried to comprehend this incredible story, the tree added, "Shortly after the invaders uprooted me and traveled through the galaxy seeking to take over this planet of yours in addition to their own, fortunately something happened to liberate one of my children from their control. Moonlight Knight. Would you like to step forward and do the honours?"

The Moonlight Knight accepted and all eyes turned on him as he said, "Thank you very much. Yes I was the very first one to break free and it happened as soon as Alan here had asked Ann to pick a Cardian. She picked me."  
>The Sailor Scouts and the cats all gasped. Sailor Moon cried, "You mean YOU are a Cardian yourself?" Even as the question flew out of her mouth, she was thinking the same thing as her friends. "Of course, we should have guessed. How stupidly obvious."<br>The Moonlight Knight affirmed, "Yes that's right. I am a Cardian. But I too was fully brainwashed back on our own planet to start with and to my eternal sorrow I was also used to hurt and sometimes kill innocents. And I was almost used in such a way here on earth too. But I was the third Cardian they tried to use after Vampeal and Minotaur and as soon as I was summoned I was freed and I pretended I was going to do their bidding but when I was sent out I ran away telling the alien who was with me that I would do all I could to oppose their cause and help free the tree and the other Cardians."  
>"How were you freed?" asked Sailor Moon. She was dying to know.<br>"I'm coming to that. Sailor Moon. Serena. Moon Princess."  
>"You even know about my past in the Moon Kingdom?" Serena was flabbergasted. So were her friends.<br>"I know everything about you because the person who freed me told me all. It was Darien."  
>This time it was Sailor Mars who cried out, "Darien?! But how can this be?"<br>"Let me explain," said the Moonlight Knight. "Even though Darien lost all his memories during the final showdown with Queen Beryl his sub-conscious inner soul still knew it needed to do something to aid Princess Serena when this new even worse threat arrived. So it decided to enlist help of its very own and chose to meld itself with my physical body and override the effect of the misuse of the magic flute upon me. It told me that it had even subtly manipulated Anne making her choose me for Alan to summon and that together we would be strong enough to overcome and rebel against the enemy's power. It had especially chosen to use me because part of my trademark is white roses and in his Tuxedo Mask identity Darien uses red roses. Darien's soul thought it most fitting. I could recognize the full truth of the matter and so Darien and I telepathically kept in contact with the tree. It guided us towards you when you were in trouble as best as it possibly could while it was still restricted and we strove to help it break free as soon as possible. That is the truth Sailor Moon."

The Moonlight Knight stepped away having finished his contribution and the tree resumed its own story. "So while I was still struggling to break free with my allies help, the aliens were still probing me for information that could be useful to them. They picked up a hint of a way to really kill Cardians and I tried to keep it concealed but at one point I was too weak to do so. They found out the story about the magician though the details about the magic spell were not fully divulged from me until Peter and Jenny returned from the theater after the incident at the play. Peter personally learned the spell when he relentlessly probed my memories. But he wouldn't teach it to any of the others except Jenny later privately. They told them that as their leaders they would take full charge of this secret knowledge and use it as they saw fit. They gave Alan and Anne a false incantation when they arrived back in front of the group to deceive them. Now that you've killed them Sailor Moon the secret is once again safe with me. Though sadly one Cardian, Insectia, was killed by Peter."  
>The Cardians were all horribly grieved to hear about this. There were several minutes of mournful wailing and crying among them. Four-Face turned her head around to her sad face which wept bitter tears down its cheeks.<p>

Alan and Anne began to sob also and threw themselves into each other's arms. "We killed that Cardian Anne. We're as good as guilty by complicity. We're guilty of multiple murder."  
>"Yes Alan. We deserve to die ourselves. Sailor Moon should execute us immediately."<br>The tree spoke solemnly to Sailor Moon as well as to Alan and Anne. "You both have good hearts. It is evident by your genuine sorrow and anguish over the results of your misguided actions. Sailor Moon. These two aliens are very tragic figures. They grew up knowing nothing but cruelty and pain from their mothers and fathers. The very people who should have loved and nurtured them along the straight and narrow bashed them, starved them and yelled at them forbidding them to see each other. They made their hearts twisted and filled with bitter malice, so that when they fell in with the wrong crowd they were led astray into desiring vengeance upon their parents and also upon all others outside the gang. Peter and his gang fostered their malice and taught them that everybody, especially those in authority, were as cruel and heartless as their own personal sets of parents. But they were always good at heart Alan and Anne. Their tears and acknowledgement of their guilt proves it."  
>Then it spoke to the sobbing alien couple. "Alan. Anne. You have proved yourselves worthy of my kindest mercies. Listen to my proposition."<br>They turned their tear-stained faces to listen to the tree's gentle voice. "If we were to take you back with us, there would be no choice but to turn you over to the justice of your planet of course. I expect that when I return with all the Cardians and rescue the King and his people from those who were left to guard them, they and all the prisoners we have to take back also will receive a lifetime sentence of imprisonment in the royal dungeons. If we were to leave you here, whatever the Sailor Scouts decided to do, you would still have to face the stigma of the lives you took on this planet. But there is a third possibility. Do you want to know what it is?"  
>Alan cried, "Oh please tell us great tree."<br>Anne seconded his plea, "Please share what hope we may possibly have."  
>The tree said, "This is it. If Sailor Moon uses her scepter to kill you both while you are here inside my mind, you will indeed die, but your life forces will be absorbed into my very being. Then when we get home I will instruct the King to take some of my bark and have a male and a female figure painted and infused onto cards. Although nobody on your planet will ever know, you will both live on after death as two brand new Cardians to take the place double of our fallen comrade Insectia. Does that sound good to you?"<p>

Alan and Anne found this a very good and cheerful proposition. "Would we be welcome among the Cardians?" asked Alan.  
>Roars of unanimous approval came from all around and Four-Face herself said, "As leader of the Cardian force I will welcome you with all six of my open arms." Her happy face shone very brightly and once again all the other Cardians cheered encouragingly.<br>Anne was so very happy. "Ooooh! Let's do it Alan. It will be a brand new glorious start for us."  
>She and Alan rose to their feet laughing merrily. Their tears all gone.<br>"We're ready Sailor Moon," said Alan.  
>"Do it please," said Anne as she and Alan hugged each other closely.<br>Sailor Moon was momentarily rather loath to kill them, but Luna said, "It's the only thing you can rightfully do Sailor Moon." The other Scouts, Artemis and even Greg told her not to hesitate, though they said it with tears welling up in their eyes. Sailor Moon knew she had better comply before she hopelessly broke down. So taking her tiara and changing it to the scepter she waved it round and shouted, "MOON SCEPTER ELIMINATION!"  
>In five seconds Alan and Anne were gone. Then everything went so bright that Sailor Moon could no longer see anything. But she could hear the tree's voice, a little faint but clear. "Thank you Sailor Moon and farewell."<p>

When Sailor Moon and the others were able to see clearly after the brightness faded, the extraordinary tree, all the Cardians and all the aliens were vanished. Even the Cardians that had been turned into blank, blackened cards had been taken away from where they had lain. Only Darien's still form remained amidst the ruins of what had once been a high-rise apartment block. Ignoring Greg and all her other friends Sailor Moon ran over and knelt over him crying. "Darien. It's all over now. But will I be able to restore your memories? And how can I do it anyway? I wish my Moon Kingdom parents were here!"  
>While she was holding Darien's limp hand she heard some familiar voices. "Your wish has come true Princess Serena."<br>"We observed you fighting so bravely. You made us proud."  
>Turning around she saw the spectral forms of Serenity and Lune-Eclipsus and felt immense joy. "My mother! My father! Oh please tell me what I must do to restore Darien's memories!"<br>Serenity said, "The power resides inside the Silver Imperium Crystal."  
>Sailor Moon clasped her fingers around the locket which hung around her neck. "The Crystal here in my magic transformation locket? How must I use it?"<br>Lune-Eclipsus smiled and told her, "You just open the locket the way you do to transform and shout "Moon Crystal Healing Activation."

Sailor Moon did not hesitate to try this. "MOON CRYSTAL HEALING ACTIVATION!" The crystal shone and pulsed with power while the music from the star locket it lay in briefly played. Darien was raised to his feet fully conscious by the healing rays and as he opened his eyes Sailor Moon could read the recognition in them. "Congratulations Sailor Moon. You have triumphed over the evil invaders." He drew her to him in a warm embrace. "It's great to be back finally, my beautiful Meat-ball Head."  
>"Oh my darling Darien." Sailor Moon wept tears of joy, then she and he turned to smile at the ghosts of the Moon King and Queen.<br>"Thank you my dear parents."  
>"Your majesties." Darien saluted them as they wished their daughter farewell and gave both of them their deepest blessings for their future.<br>In a twinkling of the eye, they were gone too.  
>Sailor Moon and Darien gazed into each other's eyes serenely but were taken by surprise as the other Sailor Scouts, Luna, Artemis and Greg all gave hearty cheers. They had forgotten they were not really alone, but they were so very happy for the enthusiastic, joyful support of their friends.<p>

Later that night on the television news, there was a full report based upon the story that the Sailor Scouts had given to the authorities. The anchorman sat at his desk and read his notes. "Sailor Moon and her four friends were on the scene earlier today when the terrible forces that have been plaguing our city with death and mayhem targeted the high-rise apartment complex completely destroying it. Everybody was able to evacuate and flee except one family sadly. Sailor Moon said quote: "We are deeply saddened and sorry to say that Mr. Peter Granger, his wife Jenny and their two high school children, Alan and Anne were all killed before we were able to save them. But we can assure everybody that we, the Sailor Scout team, were finally able to fight and exterminate these wicked forces that have been responsible for the deaths not only of the Granger family, but many other innocent lives. It has been depressing for all of us, but at least we can assure you that the horror is now over." The four unfortunate Grangers had happened to move into the very same apartment from which an elderly couple mysteriously fell from the balcony to their deaths a couple of months ago. It will never be known whether that incident had any connection to the sinister events that later terrorized us or not."  
>Watching the news with her family Serena had tears in her eyes. Her family assumed she was grieving Alan and Anne like the rest of the school were, and in a sense they were right.<br>"I hope things work out well for them as Cardians," Serena thought. "At least the tree will be more careful from now on. Nobody will ever discover that dreadful magic spell. They will always be safe. All of them including the dear Moonlight Knight." She missed him very much too but she was so happy now that Darien's memories were back. Their love was now able to bloom and bloom freely with nothing to worry about. Or was that fully the case?

Somewhere in some mysterious place two figures stood next to an enormous door. One was a very tall woman with long black hair tinged with green and holding a rather dangerous-looking scythe. But she was speaking kindly to a little girl around six years of age with pink hair tied in plaits similar to Serena's back on earth. "The enemy have sealed up your mother and have well-nigh taken over your world dear Small Lady. There is only one chance of defeating them and rescuing your mother and everybody else you know and love so very much. I will send you through this door to travel to the old earth. Your mission will be to obtain the Silver Imperium Crystal. Only with its power can there be any hope for the future of your world Small Lady. I will give you a device by which you can keep in contact with me and a key to return with when you have the object of your quest. Now are you ready?"  
>The little girl looked up into the woman's face and said, "Yes I am."<p>

NOT THE END!


End file.
